In today’s design-driven and efficiency-conscious world, illumination is doing more than just lighting the way—it’s redefining how we approach product development across industries. Seamless and intelligent lighting plays a critical role in enhancing user experience, ensuring safety, and conveying brand identity in, for instance, automotive interiors. At TactoTek®, we’re advancing light integration through optimized LED usage, slim form factors, and sustainable materials—all made possible by IMSE® (In-Mold Structural Electronics).
One of the most significant advances in lighting integration through IMSE is the ability to achieve high-quality illumination with fewer light sources. IMSE leverages light propagation and diffusion principles in innovative ways, using materials with high reflectance—such as reflective inks or second-shot plastics—to guide and scatter light efficiently. This enables placing the LED not just at the edge, but even at the center of the illuminated area.
The result? Optimal brightness and uniformity with fewer LEDs. This reduction brings multiple benefits: lower component and manufacturing costs, better energy efficiency, and reduced complexity of the overall electronics. In addition, this enables placing illumination in locations where it previously didn’t fit due to the complex structure and spatial limitations of conventional electronics, unlocking new design possibilities across product categories. In addition, this minimizes thermal load, extending the LED lifespan.
Another advantage is color mixing. The IMSE structure enhances the mixing of RGB light by introducing multiple, well-controlled reflection interfaces along the light path. Even within short distances, the light blends thoroughly, resulting in smooth, well-controlled color output—ideal for dynamic lighting effects and brand-centric color themes.
Space is always at a premium—especially in automotive interiors and consumer electronics. Traditional lighting assemblies often require thick diffusers or light guides, limiting design flexibility. IMSE-based solutions eliminate that bulk. By embedding lighting within ultra-thin IMSE structures, designers reclaim valuable space for other functions—from airbag modules and structural components to enhanced passenger comfort.
This thinness also makes it easier to integrate lighting into previously inaccessible areas, whether that’s a curved dashboard trim or the edge of a control panel. With IMSE technology, illumination can now follow the contours of complex geometries, enabling more expressive and purposeful design.
Smooth, dynamic lighting isn’t just a stylistic preference—it’s an essential characteristic of high-end design, particularly in automotive applications. From crisp icons to ambient glows, quality lighting contributes directly to how users perceive a product’s refinement.
IMSE SurfaceLight is specifically developed to deliver this premium experience. By combining advanced optical layering, tailored outcoupling geometries, and carefully selected material properties, the IMSE SurfaceLight solution ensures even light distribution across a surface. The part structure—only a few millimeters thick—itself functions as a light engine, enabling illumination through any translucent layer above.
This unique approach delivers clean, shadow-free results and empowers designers to create sophisticated lighting effects without sacrificing space or design flexibility.
Better lighting with fewer resources isn’t just smart engineering—it’s responsible design. Fewer LEDs reduce component count and energy use. That’s good for both the bottom line and the environment.
Material choices further support sustainable manufacturing. Clear plastics are used only where illumination is needed, while surrounding areas can incorporate recycled or lower-impact materials. In fact, the second-shot plastics used especially in IMSE LightChannels structure can be recyclable, contributing to greener lifecycle footprints for the entire part.
Moreover, the reduced need for separate mechanical parts—like light guides, brackets, and diffusers—translates to lower assembly costs, less waste, and more efficient logistics.
From functional lighting, like switches and icons, to ambient light lines and branding elements such as hood emblems, IMSE technology brings illumination into areas that were previously off-limits due to the structural constraints of conventional electronics. It allows light sources to be precisely placed and guided to where they’re needed most, even in challenging geometries.
Thanks to this flexibility, IMSE platforms are suited for a wide range of industries—from automotive and smart home applications to industrial control panels. The technology offers adaptable solutions tailored to diverse functional requirements and aesthetic goals, making it a powerful tool for designers and engineers alike
TactoTek’s IMSE-based platforms—IMSE LightChannels and IMSE SurfaceLight—represent a paradigm shift in how light is integrated into modern products. By guiding light more efficiently, reducing the number of LEDs, and enabling slim, adaptable designs, we’re delivering better performance with fewer components. It’s a smarter, greener, and more design-forward approach to illumination—one that empowers innovation across industries.
If you'd like to explore how LightChannels or SurfaceLight can bring your next design to life, get in touch with us.
