Other Varieties of Film Insert Molding

In addition to the three processes described above, backfilling conductor films is another way of creating an MID from a flexible, structured, and plated film material. For the sake of completeness, some of the possibilities are outlined here (Fig. 3.22). 

FIGURE 3.22 Diagrammatic view of the process chain for variants of film insert molding (FIM) [48] 

The capture decal process is very similar to in-mold decoration (IMD). Plastic parts with decorative surfaces are the primary interest. The choice of backfill film and backfill melt for the combination is crucial in terms of strength of adhesion [48]. 

A method known as the transfer decal process can be used to transfer the conductor layout from a film to a plastic body. The conductor side of the film is backfilled and then the film is peeled off the finished MID component. This process requires low adhesion between backing film and backfill material. A low-strength bond between conductor tracks and backing film is also essential. The conductor tracks can be surface-treated to ensure good adhesion to the backfill material [48]. 

Yet another option is the advanced interconnect technology (AIT) process. It uses 

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