hida - Color Material Finish specialists (히다랩)

How a plastic sheet
becomes a product

03-15-2024 save btn Save

Film forming molding
Digital printing
CMF sample kit - Natural texture

The March CMF (Color, Material, Finish) technology theme at hïda focuses on film forming molding and digital printing. We introduce the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each process, as well as CMF samples produced using these methods.

Film Forming Molding

Film forming molding technology is a method of shaping plastic film or sheet material into desired shapes using molds, primarily employing techniques such as press molding, vacuum molding, and high-pressure molding.

1) Press Molding

Press molding is a technique where material is placed between mold frames like making waffles and then applying a certain pressure to create the desired shape. Its advantage lies in its excellent productivity as it is the oldest and most popular technique.

However, it is vulnerable to appearance quality and reliability due to the physical force applied to the material. It is suitable for non-coated film materials as using hard coating film may cause impact to the coating layer. Additionally, it is favorable for simple shapes as implementing deep shapes or severe curves is difficult.

2) Vacuum Molding

Vacuum molding involves heating plastic sheets to a suitable temperature, then vacuuming the air between the mold and the sheet to adhere the sheet to one side of the mold, shaping it into the desired form. It is suitable when precise shaping of one side is required. It offers better formability than press molding technology, suitable for small-batch production of various products. It is relatively easy and cost-effective to modify designs or make design changes.

However, it is unfavorable for high-hardness composite film molding and shares the same vulnerability to appearance quality and reliability as press molding technology due to its similar physical molding approach.

3) High-Pressure Molding

High-pressure molding is a suitable technology for precise shapes needed on both sides or for implementing deep and complex shapes or undercut shapes. It offers excellent formability for deep and complex shapes or undercut shapes. It utilizes instantaneously occurring high pressure to minimize material impact, shorten processing time, and can be applied to various thicknesses and materials.

ⓒhida

Digital Printing

Digital printing refers to the technique of printing digital design files onto various surfaces of materials using ink spraying. It can quickly generate high-quality images compared to other printing technologies and is applicable only to shapes close to flat surfaces.

The advantage of digital printing lies in its fast printing speed and suitability for small-batch production. It can print even a single sheet, has no limitations on color implementation, and can print images of photographs or complex designs.

ⓒhida

CMF SAMPLE KIT – Natural Texture

hida analyzes domestic and international CMF design trends to discover various themes and selects materials that can be widely used in industrial sectors based on them. Through sample kits containing detailed CMF material and technical information for implementing design concepts, you can confirm the innovative technological capabilities of hida.

In the Natural Texture theme, you can find CMF samples produced by methods such as digital printing and film forming. Meet samples that represent various natural materials such as wood, stone, glass, leather, and fabric, including the texture of the surfaces.

CMF sample kits planned and produced by hida can be directly confirmed and touched when visiting the hida CMF library, where various samples can be compared and experienced. Currently, it consists of 4 themes and 30 categories, with continuous additions planned.

When you visit hida's CMF library, you can not only see CMF sample kits but also directly confirm finished products and parts made with various processes. You can also receive consultations from experts on which CMF processes are suitable for the products you intend to produce.