IMD TPU phone cases are very popular among phone users. They can come in the form of a flexible Matt rubber or a Glossy UV skin that fits around the phone. TPU cases help protect the phone against damage and can also enhance its appearance.
Have you ever wondered how we make our TPU cases? Well, if you have, you’re in luck. Let’s show you how.
How to Make an IMD TPU Case
- First, assemble the mold of the mobile phone case corresponding to the phone model.
- Next, put the mold and the user-customized pictures in the injection molding machine.
- Open the injection molding machine and load in the TPU raw material.
- Close the molding machine and let it form the TPU case around the user-customized picture.
- Open the machine and take out the finished case. To make more cases, repeat the steps above.
It all seems a bit complex, doesn’t it? Don’t worry. In this article, we’ll take you through each stage of production.
When we’re done, we’re sure you’ll be able to understand all the processes and materials we use. So, step into our shop floor, and let’s show you how the magic happens.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Fit the design to the appropriate template.
a.What we need from the customer.
Step 2: Print out the design on PET film
a.What is a PET film?
Step 3: Apply a layer of white paint to the PET film
Step 4: Place the PET film in an oven to dry.
Step 5: Punch holes in the PET film
Step 6: Form the PET film to the shape of the phone case’s surface with a hot press machine.
a.What is In-Mold Decoration?
Step 7: Put the fixed shape in the injection molding machine and mold it with TPU
a.What is TPU?
b.Properties of TPU
Let’s look take a look at all these steps in detail:
Step 1: Fit the design to the appropriate template.
To make a custom IMD TPU case for the customer, we’ll need some things from them to begin the process. These things are:
What We Need from the Customer
- A high definition image of the design for the phone case
- The model of the phone
The most important part of the customized case is the design we get from the customer. It can be your logo or any artwork you would like on the phone case.
Our technicians put the artwork’s digital file in the appropriate template. The template we use depends on the type of phone that is going to use the case. It can be an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 12 pro-Max template.
Fitting the artwork is an important step. For the phone case to come out looking beautiful, the artwork must be well-positioned on the phone.
Step 2: Print out the design on PET film
I know by now, you are thinking, “What is a PET film?”, Well don’t worry, I’ll explain it in a bit.
What Is a PET Film?
PET or otherwise known as Polyester Terephthalate, is a plastic film. We use it to make the plastic form for the case’s design. This is all part of the In-Mold Decoration process.
Types of PET Film
There are two types of PET films. One offers a glossy finish to the phone case, while the other gives it a matte finish. Depending on your specifications, we’ll use either a glossy or Matte finish.
Now, we print out the design template on the PET film using a CMYK full-color printer. The CMYK printer makes sure all the colors come out bright and clear.
Step 3: Apply a layer of white paint to the PET film
In the next step, we apply a layer of white paint to the newly printed PET film. The white paint is a form of applique that serves a dual purpose. It helps block the colors and also helps harden the plastic film.
Step 4: Place the PET film In the Oven Room to dry
We take the PET film with the wet paint on it and stack them on trolleys. We then place these trolleys in the oven room.
The oven room’s heat helps dry out the paint on the PET film quickly and efficiently. Thus, the PET film is been converted into a plastic form.
Step 5: Punch holes in the PET film
Next, we feed the PET film into a machine that cuts holes in the material at the appropriate locations. A computer guides the cutter to make sure the holes are precise and accurate.
We punch holes in the material is to make sure it is properly held in the hot press machine during forming. The holes serve as an anchor point to position the film during the forming process.
Step 6: Form the PET sheet to the shape of the phone case’s surface using A hot press Machine
We cut up the PET sheet into individual phone case designs. Each sheet is put then through a hot press to form it to the phone case’s surface.
Let’s take you through the process.
After installing the appropriate mold,A technician puts the PET sheet in the hot press machine. Under high temperature in the mold, the fixed shape of the case is been pressed out from the PET sheet. The high temperature also hardens the sheet into a plastic form.
After forming, we put the plastic form in a cutting machine to trim it. The machine trims away the extra edges of the PET sheet from the plastic form. Now, we can use it for the In-Decoration (IMD).
We’ve been hearing about IMD for a while now, let’s take a look at what it is:
What is IMD?
IMD (In-Mold Decoration) is a process we use to manufacture TPU cases with artworks inside them. The artworks are protected inside the case, so they cannot scratch or wear out over time. This keeps them looking nice and fresh.
We’ve already gone through the process of creating the plastic form for the artwork above. In the next section, we’ll see how it’s molded into the case.
Step 7: Put the fixed shape in the Injection Molding Machine and mold it with TPU material.
Now, the hard PET sheet has taken the shape of the phone case, it’s time to mold it. Molding transforms the formed PET into an IMD TPU case. But wait, what’s exactly is this TPU material?
What is TPU material?
TPU(Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is a thermoplastic elastomer we use in making phone cases. It is often referred to as a hybrid between plastics and rubber due to its physical properties.
Phone cases are not the only things we can make using TPU. There are plenty of other uses for TPU in the manufacturing industry. We can find it in shoe soles, instrument panels, sporting goods, etc.
TPU has a lot of useful features. It enjoys a wide range of use in various industries because of these features. Let’s take a look at some of its properties:
- Abrasion Resistant: The surface of TPU cases is very smooth. They are also very resistant to surface damages like scratches.
- Liquid Resistant: Materials like oil, water, and grease cannot penetrate TPU. This property makes TPU a highly sought-after material in waterproof applications.
- High Elasticity and Shear strength: TPU has excellent mechanical properties. You can bend and twist a TPU case without it tearing or sustaining any damage.
- Transparent: TPU’s see-through nature makes it a highly sought-after material in the phone case market. It can be left blank to exhibit the phone’s design, or you can decorate it.
- Heat Resistant: TPU remains stable when it encounters low to medium-intensity heat. It will not warp, expand or melt under those conditions.
So, back to the case-making process. A technician places the formed PET in the mold and closes it.
Under tremendous heat and pressure, the machine makes a TPU phone case matching the formed PET perfectly. This process is known as injection molding.
After the process finishes, the technician takes out the finished IMD TPU case. The technician then put another formed PET in the mold, and the process starts again.
Benefits of The IMD TPU Case Making Process
Using this method has many advantages that we can see in the final product. Let’s go through some of them.
- The process produces beautiful high-quality cases.
- The case design lasts a long time without fading or wearing off.
- It is possible to produce a lot of cases within a short time.
- It makes rapid customizability possible.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. We hope you enjoyed the virtual journey through our workspace. We also hope you learned quite a few things.
But wait, we’ve omitted the final step. Hotdashun takes you owning the best quality phone cases.
As a result, you can be sure that when you buy a Hotdashun phone case, you are buying the best.
So, you can browse through our selection of High-quality cases or send us your custom order. Either way, we’re happy to help you create the best phone case possible.