Engel Introduces Fully Automated DecoJect In-Mold Decorating Cell for Automotive Interiors

For the first time in North America, Engel unveiled a fully automated cell that implements its DecoJect in‑mold decorating technology, a system that was first showcased at K 2016. Designed specifically for automotive interior trim, the cell pulls a thin thermoplastic olefin (TPO) film from a continuous roll into an open mold, where a robot‑mounted infrared heater softens the film. The softened film is then pre‑formed under vacuum inside the injection mold before a second injection of polypropylene (PP) seals the shape. The final part is cut from the roll in the mold, demolded, and finished with a laser trim. One complete part emerges from the cell every 60 seconds.

The TPO film provides the color, gloss, texture and tactile feel of the final component, allowing manufacturers to produce a wide array of trim styles simply by swapping films. Engel demonstrated the range by fabricating parts that mimic refined leather grain—complete with seam detailing—and a contemporary carbon‑fiber aesthetic. The films used in the demo are supplied by Benecke Kaliko, a subsidiary of the Continental Group in Germany.

To achieve a lighter, thinner part, the PP substrate is foamed using Trexel’s MuCell microcellular technology, which injects microscopic gas bubbles into the melt, reducing weight without compromising strength.

The cell is built around an Engel Duo 5160/1000 1100‑ton two‑platen press, an Engel Viper linear robot, and an Engel Easicell self‑contained automation unit that houses an Easix articulated robot, a laser‑cutting station, a scrap granulator, and a take‑off conveyor. Additional project partners include Georg Kaufmann Formenbau (Switzerland), Galvanoform Gesellschaft für Glavanoplastik (Germany), HRSflow (Italy), ICO System International Coating (Germany), and Borealis (Austria). The entire cell is controlled by the CC300 injection‑machine controller.