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.

Laser Engraving

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Engraving removes material, going deeper than etching and far deeper than surface marking. CO2 at 10.6 µm...

Read More →

Laser Marking Additives

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Most polymers absorb the laser wavelength poorly, which is precisely the problem additives solve. Carbon-based additives drive...

Read More →

Laser Etching

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Etching affects only the upper surface layers, typically a few microns deep. It sits between marking and...

Read More →

Beam Steered Lasers

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Mirrors move, not the laser or the part — that is what makes high-speed marking possible. Two...

Read More →

Fiber Lasers

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways The optical fiber is both gain medium and cavity, doped with rare earths such as ytterbium, erbium...

Read More →

Laser Color Matching

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Color comes from the material, not from ink — laser energy triggers a change in the polymer...

Read More →

Laser Safety Officer (LSO)

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways The LSO owns the laser safety program — policy, hazard evaluation, training and compliance. Three standards frame...

Read More →

Atmospheric Plasma

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways No vacuum chamber needed, which removes the biggest barrier to inline integration. Plasma is the fourth state...

Read More →

Cold Gas Plasma

Home›Terminology Key Takeaways Electrons run hot while the gas stays cool — often above 10,000 K for electrons, near room...

Read More →
Scott Sabreen

Scott Sabreen
President & Chief Engineer
30+ Years of Expertise

Describe your problem in two sentences. Scott Sabreen replies personally, usually within one business day.

Submission Successful!

Thank you. Scott has your message and will reply by email, usually within one business day.

We Have Received Your Request

We have received your request and will be in touch shortly.

🌐 English ▴