TactoTek, the pioneer of In-Mold Structural Electronics (IMSE), and acad group GmbH (acad), a European specialist in engineering, prototyping, and plastic injection molding, have entered into an engineering partner agreement, establishing acad as an IMSE license partner to support the development of IMSE-based solutions.

Acad provides aluminum-based injection molding tools and prototype parts for product development, pre-series, and small-series applications. 

With over 30 years of experience and a highly digitalized manufacturing environment, the company enables fast and cost-efficient production of complex plastic prototypes, including 1K, 2K, and 3K parts. 

Within the IMSE ecosystem, acad serves as a dedicated prototyping partner, delivering molded parts using IMSE-compatible polymers. This brings clear value to customers across different industrial sectors, including automotive. 

Rapid delivery is enabled by acad’s in-house Rapid Molding System (RMS) tool concept, which allows fast tool manufacturing, modification, and iteration throughout the development process.

TactoTek’s IMSE technology integrates lighting, touch controls, electrical components, and circuitry directly into three-dimensional molded structures. 

By replacing conventional multi-component architectures with structural electronics, IMSE enables lightweight, thin smart surfaces that combine distinctive design and improved performance with reduced assembly complexity and lower total system cost.

Using the original materials will accurately represent optical, functional, and strength-related properties during development. As a result, component geometry and tool design can be optimized early, supporting reliable validation while reducing coordination effort and minimizing the risks involved in changing to series tooling.

“We warmly welcome acad as an IMSE license partner,” said Sami Hyyryläinen, Senior Vice President, Licensing, Strategic Sales and Markets Expansion at TactoTek. “They are an excellent addition to our global ecosystem. With acad’s highly specialized expertise and ability to provide rapid prototyping services using IMSE-compatible materials from the outset, customers can validate their next-generation IMSE solutions with speed and confidence.”