By John P. Kaverman, Pad Print Pros For all of its flexibility as a decorating process, people often overlook pad printing as a potential solution for transferring functional materials. Examples of functional materials that I’ve worked with include conductive and dielectric materials, adhesives (and activators), radiopaque materials, lubricants and dyes. In a standard pad … [Read more...] about Pad Printing Functional Materials
2024 Jan/Feb
Equipment Highlight: Pad Printing
Apex Machine Company 954.566.1572 www.apexmachine.com Apex Machine Company, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has redesigned its C-400 cylindrical parts printer – changing the way golf tees are decorated. A versatile turnkey decorating system, the C-400 delivers high-quality multi-color, 360-degree shaft decorating. The C-400 is capable of printing inside the cups of golf tees and … [Read more...] about Equipment Highlight: Pad Printing
Decorating Plastic Additive Manufactured Parts
By Paul Uglum, president, Uglum Consulting, LLC Additive manufacturing is a growing and maturing portion of the plastics manufacturing landscape. Initially used primarily for prototyping, it is now successfully expanding into part manufacturing in several market segments. Current applications range from single-part prototyping and concept development to serial production, … [Read more...] about Decorating Plastic Additive Manufactured Parts
Association: 2024 Jan/Feb
This is the Year to Connect – and Join! If there was any year to make a splash as an expert in in-mold decorating and labeling, 2024 is it. Three major industry tradeshows will be on North American soil, and IMDA will be exhibiting at all three. First up will be NPE2024 in Orlando, Florida, in May. After a six-year absence, the plastics industry will be gathering to show … [Read more...] about Association: 2024 Jan/Feb
Trends in Beauty Packaging Design
By Erin La Row, editor, Plastics Decorating Beauty trends come and go – and sometimes circle back again. Take the mullet – a hairstyle that is experiencing a renaissance of sorts – along with blue metallic eye shadow and 90s lip colors. But some trends impacting the packaging of beauty products are likely here to stay, including a greater push for more sustainable and … [Read more...] about Trends in Beauty Packaging Design