METHOD FOR PREPARING A DECORATED INSERT AND CONTINUOUS INSERT MOULDING OPERATION

摘要

A carrier film 2 is first bonded to the transfer film 4 from which the hot transfer is prepared, to form a releasable laminate 14. The laminate 14 is then printed with appropriate decorating indicia on the free surface of the transfer film component thereof. Printing may be single-stage or multi-stage, depending upon the indicia desired, and a subsequent metalization of the transfer film surface may be performed. The fully printed laminate is then indexed into position and die-cut under conditions controlled to ensure full penetration of the transfer film by the die 58, without penetration of the adjacent surface of the carrier film. Thereafter, the unwanted portions of the transfer film are stripped away, leaving the pre-cut decorated transfers, positioned on the carrier film for continuous indexing into position for the in-mould decoration of the plastic article being formed. The present method eleminates post-treatment of the decorated moulded article.