Glossary of Terms
ASTM D3359 Tape Test
ASTM D3359 is the standard tape test for rating adhesion of coatings and inks: Method A X-cut and Method B...
Read More →Pad Printing
Pad printing puts detailed images on curved and textured plastic parts. How the silicone pad transfer works, and why most...
Read More →Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
PEEK is the benchmark high-performance thermoplastic. Where it beats PPS and PEI, how it marks, and why its chemical inertness...
Read More →Digital Product Passport (DPP)
The EU Digital Product Passport turns regulatory traceability into a marking requirement. What it covers, when it applies, and what...
Read More →Unique Device Identification (UDI)
UDI is the regulatory driver behind most medical device direct part marking. What the identifier contains, when direct marking is...
Read More →Accelerated Aging
Accelerated aging compresses years of service into weeks of testing. The Arrhenius basis, ASTM F1980, and the failure modes it...
Read More →Through-Transmission Laser Welding
The dominant laser welding method for plastics. Why one part must transmit and the other absorb, what governs weld quality,...
Read More →Environmental Stress Cracking
ESC is the leading cause of plastic part failure in service. How stress and chemical exposure combine, which polymers are...
Read More →Foaming (Laser Marking)
Foaming is the mechanism behind light marks on dark plastics. How gas bubbles create contrast, why MOPA sources are usually...
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