Label free Post-mould Graphics for Rotational Moulded plastic products

Rotational moulding is a process that has enabled the plastics industry to manufacture a wide range of products that were not previously made or they were done with laborious methods and at low speeds.

Most prominent materials are polyolefins, such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). The modification of a polyolefin surface is a challenge, because of its low surface energies. It has been a long-time demand in the market to be able to permanently mark, brand or coat a moulding while adding value and functionality to the final product.

Together with our Tesoplas product range for rotational moulding processes, we have developed revolutionary technologies that enable the direct graphics application onto polyolefins.

These can be applied via various methods such as coating, stencilling, screen printing, stamping or just brush painting. 

In this case decorative or even functional coatings can be introduced to the mouldings. Examples are light-blocking, antimicrobial, antistatic, etc.

The ink can be colour-matched and is characterized by its high UV resistance as well as by its long shelf-life as it is a solvent free system.

This ink system is applied onto the final product after the moulding process has taken place. In this way, a greater flexibility regarding operational set-up is realized as the moulder or its customer can prepare the final appearance of the moulding as and when it is needed.

Some of the ways to achieve that are shown in the following pictures:

-graphics made with screen printing (fig.1)

-coatings applied with gloss roller (fig.2)

-graphics made with gloss roller and multi-use stencil (fig.3)

-Multicolour graphics (fig.4)

-graphics created with gloss roller and single use stencil (fig.5)

Fig 1: Marking/ Branding with Screen-Printing

Fig. 2: On-mould coating with gloss rolle	Fig 3: Marking/ Branding with Multi-use stencil and gloss roller
Fig 4: Multicolour post-mould design from demos	Fig 5: Marking with single use stencil and gloss roller

The herein described technology represents an alternative to label systems. The post mould decoration process using ink systems has the following benefits:

-Permanent graphics, since the graphic is encapsulated within the moulding.

-Economical, since there is no minimum order quantities

-High quality graphics

-Long shelf-life

-Easy & Flexible application

-Safe, as ink is solvent free

-Short lead times

More info can be found on our webpages: www.lysistechnologies.com or www.tesoplas.com or  please contact Konstantia Asteriadou at [email protected].