Embossing Process

The interior of a modern vehicle showing a black, textured dashboard with air vents and a view of the car’s sleek, ergonomic design.

From car dashboards to synthetic leather handbags with perfect imitation animal hide, coated fabrics can be found in virtually all areas of life.

The imitation of relief-like structures is achieved by embossing. The material has to be heated beforehand so that primary materials adopt the new 3-D patterns and retain them when cooling. In the production of large-area, multi-layer plastic textiles, tarpaulins and coverings, such as imitation leather or floor covering, heat is used in various places. Typically, the desired surface structure (for example the grain of the artificial leather) is created in a final process step by heating the surface and then embossing it with an engraved roller. Precise temperature control is required to ensure a homogeneous pattern over the entire processing width. The IR heater field, which is build modularly from heater groups, ensures a precise, homogeneous surface temperature of the material immediately in front of the embossing roller and thus an optimum embossing result due to the individual controllability of the heater groups and the resulting optimum temperature profile.

Synthetic leather

Imitation leather, or faux leather, comprises several layers with a ground fabric and decorative layer of plastic, often PVC or polyurethane.

A row of different sports balls, including a soccer ball, basketball, volleyball, American football, and golf ball, displayed on a white background.

The upper layers are heated and then embossed to create a specific surface structure. For example, the structures of leather and other materials such as wood are imitated in a deceptively real way or functional structures are brought to the surface.
There are many reasons to use imitation leather. Besides ethical reasons, imitation leather is cheaper to produce and has practical advantages over real leather. Imitation leather is washable and available by the metre, making it easier to process in the textile industry.

Embossing decorative layers

Hands rolling out decorative wallpaper with a subtle embossed pattern on a table, preparing for wall application in an interior space.

Embossing is used in the production of wallpaper and floor coverings as well as interior decoration layers. The pre-produced material is heated on the surface before being embossed with steel rollers to create a characteristic surface structure.