Purchasing Basics: Decorating methodsPurchasing Basics: Decorating methods
May 12, 1999
How do you decide which means of decoration best applies to your application? Parts are now successfully decorated in the mold, beside the press, downstream, and after assembly, and methods most commonly used are inmold decorating, hot stamping, heat transfer printing, pad printing, direct screen printing, and label application. Then there are painting and plating as well.
The Desired Effect
Probably the best place to start is with the end result you want to achieve. Does the graphic need to be in color? Can it be done in 4/C process or does it require separate matched colors? Is a metallic finish what you prefer? What is the substrate material and color? Does the material require pretreatment before decorating? Is there any chance it will be contaminated with mold release? Is show-through going to be an issue on a dark part? Any vendor quoting on a machine will want to see a part drawing, or an actual part if produced. Does artwork or at least a sketch already exist?
What sort of end-use environment will the product endure? Are heat, abrasion, chemical resistance, or toxicity factors in the selection of a decorating method? Will the decorated part have to undergo some additional process after decoration, such as sonic welding, or testing? Can your process tolerate a wet surface that needs to dry before being handled?
The Process Issues
Will the part be hot or cold when it's decorated? What is the estimated annual quantity required? Will it be a batch or continuous process? How big an area needs to be decorated? How big is the total part? What is its shape-round, flat, curved, irregular? How fast does the decoration need to be applied? What's the plant environment like? Is there risk of dust contamination, or moisture on the product, or excess heat?
What capital investment are you prepared to make? Is operator labor an issue, or will this be an automatic process? The chart below will assist you in formulating additional questions that may be specific to your part.
Decorating options |
With our thanks . . .
. . . to suppliers Meyercord and Permanent Label Corp. for their contributions to this article.
Go to the IMM Almanac Online home page.
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