Glossary of Terms

This glossary defines the terms that come up in secondary plastics manufacturing: laser marking and laser welding, surface pretreatment by corona, plasma, flame and UV/ozone, adhesion and bonding, coatings, inkjet printing and product security. Each entry explains what the term means in practice on a plastic part, the numbers and standards that matter (surface energy in dyne/cm, ASTM D3359 ratings, UL 94 classes) and where the full technical treatment lives on this site. The entries are written for engineers and buyers who need a working definition quickly; the linked service pages and articles cover specification, process development and troubleshooting in depth.

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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Contact Angle

Contact angle is the quantitative measure of wettability. What the angle means, how sessile drop measurement works, and when it...

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Surface Energy

Surface energy governs whether inks, adhesives and coatings wet a plastic or bead up on it. Typical dyne levels by...

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Polycarbonate

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways PC combines optical clarity with exceptional impact strength, which is a rare pairing. Grade matters as much...

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Polyethylene

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways PE is classified by density and branching, and the type decides how hard secondary operations will be....

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Polyurethane

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways PU is exceptionally versatile, spanning flexible foam to rigid elastomer from the same chemistry. Grade matters as...

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Ablation

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Ablation removes material instead of changing its color. Vaporization or ejection of the polymer is what distinguishes...

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Cellulosics

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Cellulosics are derived from cellulose, making them among the earliest and most renewable plastics. Grade matters as...

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Liquid Crystal Polymer

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways LCP molecules stay ordered even in the melt, which is what gives its dimensional stability. Grade matters...

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