by Ron Ducharme, vice president of business development, Covectra Can you recall the iconic quote from the 1967 movie “The Graduate”? “I just want to say one word to you – just one word, plastics. There's a great future in plastics.” That quote was right on the mark. Over the past 54 years, there have been a myriad of changes in the plastics industry. The changes range from … [Read more...] about Anti-Counterfeiting Strategies for Products and Packaging
2021 Oct/Nov
‘Clean’ Plastic Welding Technologies Open New Aesthetic Opportunities in Complex, 3D Assemblies
by Sean Leavy, regional product manager, Americas, Branson Assembly and Welding technologies at Emerson These are good times for product designers as new materials and technologies open up creative opportunities for multidimensional plastic parts – both large and small. This is particularly true in automotive lighting. Consider, for instance, the center taillamp designs on … [Read more...] about ‘Clean’ Plastic Welding Technologies Open New Aesthetic Opportunities in Complex, 3D Assemblies
Ask the Expert: Understanding Heat Transfers in the Plastics Industry
Plastics Decorating The name “heat transfer” has become a generic term referring to a preprinted image applied to a product using heat and pressure to transfer the image off a carrier to a product. There are different ways to print a heat transfer, including gravure, flexo, screen or digitally printed transfers. Plastics Decorating recently sat down with CDigital’s director of … [Read more...] about Ask the Expert: Understanding Heat Transfers in the Plastics Industry
TopCon and IMDA Symposium Go In-Person with Great Success
by Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, Plastics Decorating The SPE Decorating & Coatings Division, in partnership with the In-Mold Decorating Association (IMDA), recently held its Topical Conference and IMDA Symposium, September 16-17 in Edina, Minnesota. The two-day, in-person event was very successful, with nearly 100 attendees and 18 exhibitors. “We were not sure of how … [Read more...] about TopCon and IMDA Symposium Go In-Person with Great Success
Automation, Sustainability and the Future of In-Mold Processes
by Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Decorating Automation is a key to the future for all types of manufacturing processes. Decorating options for molded plastic parts are no exception. This is especially important for molders who are involved with or are considering in-mold decorating and labeling, where automation and robotics are essential as an element of the success of the … [Read more...] about Automation, Sustainability and the Future of In-Mold Processes