by Scott Sabreen, The Sabreen Group, Inc. Surface pretreatments are used to promote adhesion between difficult-to-bond plastic substrates and adhesives, coatings and inks. Among pretreatments, "gas-phase surface oxidation" processes are proven highly effective, economical and environmentally safe. The selection of which method is best for any given application can be … [Read more...] about Gas-Phase Surface Pretreatments for Plastics Adhesion
Articles
Hot Stamping for Three-Dimensional Parts
by Allan Quimby, KURZ Transfer Products, L.P. At K 2013, the triennial international trade fair for plastics and rubber, held in Dusseldorf, Germany, in October, the company Leonhard Kurz, represented in the US by KURZ Transfer Products, L.P., lauched its patented 3DHS finishing process. 3DHS is an abbreviation for three-dimensional (3D) hot stamping. Visitors to … [Read more...] about Hot Stamping for Three-Dimensional Parts
Q&A: IML-I vs. IML-T
by Roman Artz, Inland Label At the 2013 In-Mold Decorating Association (IMDA) Symposium, held in October in Chicago, IL, workshops were held in which discussions centered on the advantages of injection in-mold labeling (IML-I) and thermoformed in-mold labeling (IML-T). The premise was that containers made by IML-I and IML-T are competing for many of the same packaging … [Read more...] about Q&A: IML-I vs. IML-T
Advantages of Infrared Welding in Thermoplastics Manufacturing
by Dave Clothier, FRIMO, Inc. For several years, the process of infrared (IR) welding has been gaining importance in the thermoplastics industry as a competitive alternative to classic joining techniques used in high-quality thermoplastic manufacturing processes, such as vibration and hot plate welding. Method and benefits IR welding is a non-contact joining method that, … [Read more...] about Advantages of Infrared Welding in Thermoplastics Manufacturing
Association News
Letter from the Chair Welcome to 2014. Technology continues to change at an ever accelerating rate. Yesterday's knowledge may no longer be applicable to today's opportunities. In my last letter, I discussed the aging work force and need for training a new generation of engineers with knowledge of plastic decoration and assembly. This is not the only risk or opportunity we … [Read more...] about Association News