Decorating Plastics

Abstract

The surface of a plastic article, film, or sheet may be coated, marked, mechanically finished, or otherwise altered for appearance or performance reasons. A large variety of coatings and inks are used, as well as many different techniques for their application. The choice of the most suitable system can be quite difficult, because of the multitude of factors involved: appearance, durability, cost of the materials, and investment in the application equipment. The product geometry might eliminate some application methods; the type of plastic and its surface condition might require pretreatment and a choice of coatings or inks that adhere well to the required substrate. The decorating process might be performed in line with other processes, and the rate of decorating should not slow down the operation.