DecoCEL – Where Nature Meets Electronics in Sustainable Forms

DecoCEL is an innovative project focused on transforming next-generation automotive interiors, combining aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability. In collaboration with PIEP, Fehst Componentes, Universidade do Minho, and CENTI, the project aims to develop advanced technological solutions for injected polymer components, promoting innovation in the automotive sector.

To create lighter, more resilient, and technologically advanced cabins, DecoCEL incorporates sustainable materials and advanced technologies, without compromising design, comfort, or user safety. The project includes the development of decorative and multifunctional surfaces for vehicle interiors, providing a new level of personalisation and comfort. To this end, it encompasses a set of technologies, the highlights of which are:

• Development of electroluminescent devices and their integration through injection moulding technologies;
• Creation of injected surfaces that reproduce the appearance of natural materials (wood, stone, textile), assuming characteristics similar to the touch;
• Integration of functional films with printed electronics (IME) in MIM (microcellular injection moulding) technologies with In-mold connectors;
• Combination of polymer composites with natural fillers with MIM and IML/IMD technologies for innovative aesthetic and functional solutions with low weight.

With an approach focused on aesthetics, functionality, and innovation, DecoCEL is a decisive step in transforming the cars of the future, meeting the demands of the global market.