While work on the first issue of 2025 is well underway, we paused to see which Plastics Decorating articles from 2024 caught the eyes of our readers. The following stories were the top reads from 2024 for visitors to the website.
Decorated plastic parts intended for the automotive, appliance, outdoor recreation or electronics industries have different durability requirements for their appearance than many packaging applications. When long-term durability is the goal, part designers have to not only meet the appearance demands, but also ensure that appearance looks as good in 10 years as it did on day one.
2. Backlighting Decorated Plastics
One feature of decorated plastic surfaces is the ability to selectively backlight through them. This adds a whole new dimension to traditional plastic decorating. Choosing this option greatly enhances the visual impact and functionality over a wide range of applications. Nonetheless, lighting can do more than just provide color and brightness.
3. Hot Stamping Plastic Parts – Working with Foils, Dies and Machines
The process of hot stamping a three-dimensional plastic part is one of the oldest decorating technologies. Although many decorating processes today have changed or evolved in different aspects, a hot stamping machine using a die and transfer hot stamping foil remains the only secondary decorating technique that can create a true metallic finish on a plastic part.
4. Ren-Flex Creates an Award-Winning Label Using IML
Learn how Ren-Flex created its award-winning body cream jar applying in-mold labeling (IML). Find out why IML was the best choice for this product and how using IML to add the label to the product made it a more sustainable process. This process is consistent with the brand owner’s sustainability goals as there is no excess foil material.
5. Common Issues in Pad Printing
Complicated substrates, irregular shapes and surfaces, greater versatility – these are only a few reasons why pad printing has been, and continues to be, a popular process across a variety of industries. However, while this process has been around for decades, it still poses issues for many printers seeking to utilize its benefits.
