Polyethylene Terephthalate, high-density Polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride. For most people, these names may appear unfamiliar and bring up images of bizarre chemical compounds and experiments in science. For those who are used to plastic packaging, in contrast, these terms will likely recall everyday household items like milk bottles, water bottles, cereal liners, and detergent bottles.

While plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density Polyethylene (HDPE), as well as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), might not be immediately recognized by their proper names, products that are made of them surround us each day. For instance:

• PET-based food containers and drink bottles are found in almost every kitchen across America.
• HDPE can produce models, toy figurines, figurines, and plastic bottles designed for home detergents and cleaning chemicals.
• PVC pipes, as well as other construction materials constructed with PVC, are used in a variety of construction projects across the globe.

You can see that a variety of different industries depend on Plastic for the production of their products. From manufacturing for aerospace to the development of chemicals, Plastic is flexible enough to create durable products and serve as durable packaging for products.

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But, for any of these items to be offered in stores, they must comply with the standards for labeling set by:

• Governmental bodies
• Retail outlets
• Distribution networks
• Authorities in the industry

To ensure compliance with these rules and guidelines, many companies opt for inkjet printing to label their products with the necessary codes, text, and images. Of course, it’s impossible to pick up a random inkjet printer and start printing on plastic objects. It would help if you used the correct combination of equipment and ink to create long-lasting, legible codes.

We will examine the steps to choose the ideal printer and ink combination to fulfill your printing needs on Plastic.

The importance of substrate compatibility

Plastics are vast and diverse. It is populated with various plastics with different chemical structures and physical characteristics. Due to the wide range of plastics, plastics can create multiple items, from resealable bag bags to auto parts.

Today, seven main plastic varieties are present in the manufacturing industry. These comprise:

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET) is used to create beverages, soda, water bottles, medicine, food containers, blister packs, and textiles.
• High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is utilized to manufacture shampoo bottles, milk jugs, and containers for cleaning chemicals.
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is used to make windows, tiles, pipes, frames, and other construction materials.
• Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) creates flexible wraps and food packaging.
• Polypropylene (PP) is used to make food storage and cables made of Plastic and long-lasting tools such as ice scrapers and rakes.
• Polystyrene/Styrofoam (PS) produces disposable eating utensils, packing peanuts, and insulation.
• Other plastic polymers, such as fiberglass and nylon, could be used for various applications.

This variety of applications is feasible because each type of Plastic provides unique physical and chemical characteristics. In the same way, they differ in properties and impact the way specific ink formulations will stick to the surfaces of products.

In particular, due to the different substrates’ properties and surface energies, you could not employ the same formula of ink to mark PVC pipes as they do mark flexible LDPE wraps. Therefore, the code-compliant process depends on determining the most appropriate ink formula compatible with the product’s unique composition of the material.

Selecting the Most Effective Hardware and Ink Mixture for printing on plastic Products

Printing TIJ on plastics

To take into account the different characteristics of Plastic surfaces, manufacturers today provide an array of formulas designed to meet the requirements of specific plastics. InkJet, Inc., for instance, has several plastic-compatible recipes, such as DC-411 and DC-437, which take into consideration the following:

Unique substrate surface properties

Shelf life of products

Certain production processes require specific properties like blacklight visibility and alcohol resistance.

For each of these formulations, you’ll need an ink printer. And, like these inks, printer manufacturers have a range of choices for their hardware that can meet the various needs of an operation.

To handle more significant scale production, Continuous inkjet printers, like DuraCode Touchscreen, are ideal for more extensive operations. DuraCode Touchscreen allows users to mark objects that are moving at speeds of hundreds of meters per minute using permanent codes and marks. Furthermore, CIJ printers can increase the efficiency of production due because they can constantly operate all day, all day.

If your company doesn’t require the speed of an industrial CJ printer, thermal inkjet printers are a cost-effective alternative. With a weight of just about a couple of grams, TIJ models like the Anser U2 Pro-S are ideal for intermittent code-related tasks and print at speeds as high as 120 milliseconds. But there are some limitations to these models. Not all TIJ models can utilize plastic-compatible ink formulas; therefore, researching before purchasing a printer model is essential.

Laser is the best option for you.

To this point, we’ve only discussed using plastic code in connection with inkjet printing.

Although inkjet printers were used for a long time to complete plastic code applications, it’s important to remember that other choices for marking are available for this purpose. For instance, Laser marking devices have become a preferred choice for plastic coding applications in recent years.

As with CIJ printers, Laser marking systems can produce industrial-speed marking applications with great accuracy with no interruption. They don’t need liquid inks to keep items, reducing expenses and maintenance requirements. Thus, many big-scale firms have chosen laser-based solutions for their industrial Plastic marking requirements.

However, laser systems are only sometimes the best choice. For instance:

• Although they are less expensive per year than the CIJ system, these systems are considerably more in the beginning.
• They can produce toxic fumes while they work and, therefore, require extractors for fumes to ensure the air is safe for workers.

Certain plastics aren’t compatible with laser systems.

Learn whether Laser marking technology could be the right choice for your Plastic marking requirements.

Do you need help printing on plastic Products? Contact InkJet, Inc. today to find it.

Although Plastic is among the most used manufacturing materials around the globe, it can be challenging to print on. To ensure that codes are correctly printed and understandable, it is essential to choose the combination of a printer and ink that’s:

• Compatible with the particular type of Plastic that your item is constructed of
• Enhances readability by increasing the contrast on the surface of the substrate
• The ability to remain legible throughout the duration of
• We at InkJet, Inc. can assist you in achieving these objectives in the most efficient method possible.

For more than 30 years, We have been creating formulations for ink and selling printers to all industries. With our many options for inkjet printers and extensive ink catalogs, we can offer you a printer/ink combination specifically designed to suit your requirements.