LASER MARKING AND WELDING | TECHNOLOGY
Making marks in plastics
Laser marking and welding provide new opportunities for processors, enabled by collaboration between additive, compound and equipment providers. Mark Holmes reports
With laser-based processing — such as marking or welding — playing an increasingly important role in plastics production, manufacturers of the additives, masterbatches and compounds that make these technologies possible are working hard to develop new and improved products. Laser marking provides a high-speed labelling and decoration option for plastic parts that can eliminate further processing while laser welding can be used to quickly and reliably join intricate plastics components. One of the key driving forces behind the adoption of both is sustainability, according to Austrian masterbatch producer Gabriel-Chemie. “Laser marking and decoration can achieve high quality, permanent marking of plastics without the use of any additional consuma- bles such as printing inks. The final object consists only of a single, homogenous material, which is beneficial for the recycling process. That is what brands and converters are most interested in at the moment. Laser welding benefits from the same
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advantages, as no glue is necessary to join the two parts together,” says Mark Hannah, Head of Corporate Marketing at the company. In the area of laser marking, new developments
are being driven by the need to increase the contrast between the marking and the base plastic, as well the dream of achieving coloured laser marking that would substitute printing inks on plastics completely. “As in all new developments, these things take time and creative minds are needed to drive them forwards. There is still a lot of work to do,” he says. Hannah explains that the physical performance
of the plastic and the make-up of the polymer chains has an effect on laser marking. “Gaining an understanding of the properties of the virgin polymer and its influence on the laser marking is a challenge that we have been working on for many years. As polymers develop and more ‘undefined’ recycled polymer is added to the mix, this aspect will become increasingly important,” he says.
Main image: Laser marking provides the opportunity to apply customis- able markings that provide both pleasing aesthetics and effective product
security and traceability
� July 2021 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 41
IMAGE: ECKART
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