LEIMSA – Lightweight Electronics by Injection Moulding in Seamless Architectures

The LEIMSA project aims to develop disruptive components for the interior of the car, floor center console and dashboard, allowing the integration of truly innovative and sustainable user centered functionalities.
For this purpose, decorative elements and distinctive functionalities will be integrated into the products with as few operations as possible, through the use of emerging and lightweight technologies in the mold (in-mould operations), such as In-Mould Decoration (IMD), or In- Mold Labeling (IML), High Pressure Forming (HPF) and In-Mould Electronics (IME).
Modern IM (In-Mould) technologies allow the combination of several stages of traditional production processes in the mold to obtain additional functionalities for the parts or components, but also for aesthetics improvements. As a result, an upgrade of functionalities is achieved, as well as a better aesthetic appearance and a greater durability of the generated products.
The development of intelligent and haptic surfaces with an attractive seamless 3D design and an immersive and intuitive HMI (human-machine) interface centered on the user experience are the main goals of LEIMSA. For this purpose, the needs of the users were identified, in order to guide the development of product, design and style to the market. The development of production tools and integration for a pre-industrial level of technological maturity is also contemplated.
The LEIMSA project is carried out by a consortium of six highly renowned entities in the national and international automotive industry: Simoldes Plásticos, S.A (leader promoter of the project), Bosch Car Multimedia, Celoplás, Plásticos para a Indústria S.A., DTx, CEiiA and the University from Minho. With a global investment of 4,898,005.06 €, this project is co-financed by the Portugal 2020 Programme, under the Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization (COMPETE 2020) with the amount of 3,036,914.62 €, from the European Fund for Regional development.