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At CES 2022, Covestro has paired with TactoTek to showcase smart surfaces in a new, jointly developed demonstration device—the Nighthawk. Covestro says its materials and the TactoTek technology reduce the number of components in electronic products while also lowering the amount of plastics used by up to 70% compared to conventional electronics, resulting in devices that are thinner and 50-70% lighter.

The display products feature electronics for wiring and touch controls that are printed via additive processes. Electronic components are surface mounted on polycarbonate film, which, along with a decorative film is inserted into an injection mold for encapsulation in PC. Covestro says the result is a single-piece, seamless, electronic structure.

The Nighthawk also includes a display added after injection molding, while the other display product—the BatRay—features a printed Bluetooth antenna. Covestro says the technology allows designers to seamlessly blend control surfaces with decor in cars, kitchens, bathrooms and industrial workspaces.

Covestro says the high clarity, low viscosity and thermal conductivity of its Makrolon resins make these devices possible, while its Makrofol PC films lend the products UV and scratch resistance.

IMSE manufacturing is typically comprised of four steps—printing, surface mounting, thermoforming and film-insert molding. Decoration, circuitry, touch controls, antennas and proximity sensors are printed onto a film insert material, and then electronic components are mounted to the substrate using conductive and structural adhesives. The flat electronics film is given a 3D shape via thermoforming, and that formed structure is then insert molded.