By Dustin Will, RAYN Technology For decades, lasers have been synonymous with permanent identification – serial numbers, barcodes, logos and traceability marks. Today, however, advances in laser processing have expanded that role dramatically. Manufacturers increasingly are looking to laser technology not just for marking, but as a true decorative manufacturing process … [Read more...] about Beyond Laser Marking: How Digital Laser Surface Decoration Is Transforming Plastic Part Manufacturing
Articles
Ford Explorer Drives Home Decorative Applique Honors
Edited by Dianna Brodine, vice president, editorial, Plastics Decorating For more than 35 years, the Ford Explorer has been a steady contributor to the midsized SUV segment with a variety of trim levels, third-row family seating and a name that appeals to the adventurer. The 2025 model year received an upgrade in both style and safety with a film-insert molded applique that … [Read more...] about Ford Explorer Drives Home Decorative Applique Honors
The Importance of “Why?” in Plastic Decorating
By Paul Uglum, president, Uglum Consulting, LLC One question that is asked far too infrequently in manufacturing, and especially with plastic decorating, is “Why?” The purpose of the questionis to reach an understanding of just how things are made and the science that both limits and enables successful plastic decoration. A good first question is, “Why are plastic parts … [Read more...] about The Importance of “Why?” in Plastic Decorating
Balancing Flexibility and Throughput in High-SKU Plastic Packaging Printing
By Kenneth Stack, executive chairman, Engineered Printing Solutions On a production line handling thousands of plastic tool cases per shift, decoration quickly can become a constraint. Each product requires clear identification, technical information and regulatory marking, and in high-SKU environments, no two items may share the same artwork. For manufacturers, this … [Read more...] about Balancing Flexibility and Throughput in High-SKU Plastic Packaging Printing
Adding Automation for Efficient Operations
By Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Decorating As manufacturing companies evaluate their use of automation, questions arise on how well these innovations work in plastics decorating and how they are most effectively deployed. At the 2025 Plastic Product Decorating Summit, the panel discussion “Efficient Operations with Automation” tackled these questions. The session … [Read more...] about Adding Automation for Efficient Operations