In-mould coating Krauss Maffei automates colour changes during production

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Machine manufacturer Krauss Maffei is presenting two innovations for the in-mould coating of thermoplastic components at Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, Germany. With a newly developed multi-colour mixing head, colour changes can now be carried out fully automatically and directly within the production process.

Krauss Maffei is showcasing a new mixing head technology for the flexible Color Form series production of coloured components. Multiple colours are available at the mixing head simultaneously and can be selected automatically during the production process without replacing colour nozzles, changing colour modules, or removing the mixing head. “With the new mixing head, we enable fully automatic colour changes directly during the ongoing production process. This provides maximum flexibility, shortens setup times, and makes the production of variants significantly more cost-effective,” says René Dierkes, Head of Global Multi-Technology Projects at KraussMaffei.

From manual changeover to automatic colour selection

Until now, a colour change in Color Form applications has required manual intervention at the mixing head. colour nozzles, colour units, or colour modules have to be changed. Although the process is already carried out at high speed, it still requires an interruption of the production process. The new technology eliminates this step. All required colours remain permanently connected to the mixing head. The system automatically selects the desired colour while the other materials continue to circulate in the loop. The colour change takes place directly within the process, quickly, reliably, and without mechanical retooling.

New thin-layer technology reduces material use by 80 percent

Krauss Maffei and Siegfried Hofmann have reached another milestone in reducing the PU layer thickness. The two companies have been jointly advancing Color Form technology since 2008. They have now succeeded in coating thermoplastic components directly in the injection mold with a polyurethane layer of only 0.1 millimeters. While Color Form has previously produced high-quality, scratch-resistant surfaces with layer thicknesses of up to 0.5 millimeters, the new development enables significantly more resource-efficient production while maintaining the same high surface quality. “By reducing the PU layer thickness from 0.5 to less than 0.1 millimeters, we are achieving a major technological leap. The resulting material savings of up to 80 percent significantly reduce the material costs for each individual component,” says Andreas Bierbaumer, Technology Manager at Krauss Maffei.

The reduction of the PU layer thickness to 0.1 millimeters was made possible by optimizing the component fixation, the sealing system, the preform, and the mixing head. The joint development by Krauss Maffei and Hofmann thus demonstrates that ultra-thin PU layers can be produced directly in the injection mold with reliable processing and high quality. “Together with Krauss Maffei, we are using the development mold to demonstrate that layer thicknesses of this kind can be achieved reliably. The design and dimensions of the tool are based on current exterior automotive components such as trim panels or diffuser lenses. At the same time, we found that the surface quality can be improved and the scrap rate reduced,” adds Stefan Hofmann, Managing Director and Owner of Siegfried Hofmann.

The new thin-layer process can be experienced live at the Krauss Maffei Techcenter on a GX 650 with a spin-platen unit in combination with a mobile Rimstar Compact 8/8. Krauss Maffei and Hofmann will continue to jointly develop and market the technology in order to further expand the potential of in-mould coating for new applications and markets.

Both innovations will be presented for the first time at Fakuma 2026. Visitors will gain insights into the latest developments in Color Form technology and learn how automated colour changes and ultra-thin PU coatings can further increase flexibility and cost-effectiveness in the production of high-quality plastic surfaces.

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