By Modern Plastics
from Tech Trends
November 2005

The decoration of plastics has been around almost as long as plastic materials themselves. Technologies developed over the past few decades include silk screening, hot stamping, pad printing, vacuum metalizing, and painting, but newer, cost-effective technologies can add value to parts.

 

One of the newest technologies -- in-mold decorating (IMD) and in mold labeling (IML) -- is finding its place in many applications and markets as part of the effort to reduce part-handling in secondary operations and increase yield.

With the plastics decorating landscape changing, new technologies, new machinery, new decorative films, and other related products are being developed to eliminate secondary processes and improve product quality. Demand for a variety of in mold decoration and some new "functionality" solutions such as molded-in RFID and bar codes is increasing. Much of the demand is coming from the medical and container industries.

In-mold decorating is in sync with lean manufacturing, further enhancing its attractiveness because it removes the secondary operation.

Mold In Graphic Systems® (Clarkdale, AZ) makes mold-in labels primarily suited for rotationally molded products. Recently, the company introduced new vinyl and nylon graphics. Angela Yearta, marketing manager for the company, says that the chief advantage of molded-in labels is that they "become part of the plastic and don't peel off or fade, but maintain their look" for the life of the product.

The company also produces Mold On Graphics® which may be placed on polyolefin plastic products after molding.