Produce beautiful, plastic parts; apply design elements to part during molding process; decoration becomes permanent part of piece; decorations should last life of part.

In the in-mold decorating (IMD) or in-mold labeling (IML) process, a preprinted label or decorated appliqué film is inserted in the open plastic injection mold and held in place via vacuum ports, electrostatic charge or other method. The plastic injection mold is then closed and the plastic resin injected to mold the part, encapsulating the decoration or label permanently within the finished injection molded part.

Color plays an important role in many plastic injection molded components. Molded-in color technology enables us to achieve color matching or produce any number of vibrant, high-quality colors and finishes that our customers wish to achieve. With molded-in color technology, pre-colored plastic resins are used in the plastic injection molding process so the plastic part emerges in the specified color and finish. This method is a superior option to painting or plating because it provides a more durable, long-lasting solution.

We use the full spectrum of colors for plastic part molded-in color, including specialty colors such as metallic, pearlescent, and metal flake. We consult with our customers on product color and decoration choices, including the cost of various color options. We also educate our customers on how molded-in color and texture options interplay in the molding process.

We offer complete color matching services and incorporate color matching into our quality control process producing long-lasting, brilliant colors and finishes to our plastic parts. Molded-in color matching results in a lower final part cost and faster part production compared to traditional methods.

Our color matching process begins with a customer-supplied sample or a Pantone color selection. We work with reputable colorant vendors to provide sample color chips for customer verification, followed by a molded sample that is verified and approved by the customer. FDA & NSF compliant molded-in coloring and flame-retardant grades are available.

With our high-quality process where coloring is integrated into the plastic molded part, there are no paint scratching or peeling issues and the finished product withstands even the harshest of environments. This environmentally-friendly manufacturing process eliminates or reduces environmental impact producing less scrap and eliminating the need for secondary painting.

Pad printing is the most versatile decorating method we offer, allowing us to decorate nearly any type of plastic in any shape. It is the method of choice whenever difficult shapes must be printed or text with tight registration is required. The flexibility of this decoration method allows product designers to focus on increasingly unique design aesthetics.

Pad printing plastic parts is replacing the application of industrial labels, especially when short-run, quick-change labels are required. Our customers are enjoying the benefits of applying printed information directly to the product, saving them time and money. This is especially cost-effective for one- or two-color applications.

Using your custom artwork and clichés, we provide a full array of pad printing services – single color, in-line multicolor pad printing, rotational pad printing, and automation for high volume pad printing projects – all in a variety of colors. We fully manage pad printing operations from start to finish, ensuring a successful outcome, even for intricate applications. Our skilled pad printing technicians have in-depth knowledge of what it takes to deliver consistent quality in pad-printed products that exceed customer expectations.

Hot stamping can be an efficient plastic part decoration method that achieves high-end results. Like pad printing, when important graphics or critical product information is accommodated during the design phase, quicker production and lower costs are realized.

Hot stamping is used to decorate raised areas, also known as tipping, where a heated die applies pressure to a hot stamping foil that is pressed against the plastic part. Foils are available in a multitude of colors and finishes ranging from matte to high gloss and specialty foils including holographic and metallic. The heat and pressure from the die transfers the pigment from the hot stamping foil onto the plastic part. Hot stamping can be used on flat and rounded surfaces, and can encompass an entire circumference or, the front and back of a surface, in one operation.

Because hot stamping is a dry process, it enables us to provide an attractive, high-end appearance on plastic parts using reflective metallic foils and high gloss opaque-colored foils – something not achievable with pad printing or screen printing inks. The unique “dry” hot stamping process is also beneficial in reducing packaging and handling costs because the decorated parts can easily be bulk packed on-line with less concerns of damage to the decorated image.

So you’ve decided on the perfect container for your product. Maybe you’ve even used our Design Services to create a unique label that will set your product apart from all the others. Well, we don’t stop there. We truly are your one stop shop. Why spend hours applying your new labels yourself? We’re already set up to handle that task, quickly and economically. Whether it be cylindrical containers or flat sided products, we can have your item delivered to you labeled and ready for market.

To many people, it may be hard to think of labeling as a “science,” but the truth be known, it takes a good amount of technical background to solve tough label applications depending on types of surfaces like metal, glass, cardboard or plastic.

At Hi-Rel Plastics & Molding Inc., we offer heat transfer decal decorating which can be a cost-effective alternative to multicolor pad printing or screen printing for plastic parts, depending on the required image size and the total quantity for the project. We are able to offer this service for small, medium, high volume and bulk orders. Heat transfer decals can be applied to many plastic materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC and acrylic. Depending upon the image size and the number of parts to be decorated, heat transfer decals can be a cost-effective alternative to other decorating methods, especially for larger orders.

What is heat transfer decal decorating?

Heat transfer decal decorating utilizes high-quality screen printed or digitally printed images on a clear carrier that are permanently bonded to a part by the heat and pressure of the hot stamping process. Since heat transfer decals are preprinted, multicolor images are transferred to the part in one pass.

Our certified facility offers capabilities to complete even the most custom of projects. Specializing in large volume rigid product printing and decorating, we will work with you to find the best solution. Contact us today to get started.

The rising use of plastics in medical devices means that the capability of being sterilized is rapidly becoming a key selection criterion for any plastic to be used in a medical device. The objective of sterilization is to prevent the introduction into the body of pathogenic organisms not normally present. Sterilization can be defined as ‘the removal or destruction of all living organisms, including resistant forms such as bacterial or fungal spores’.

Bacterial spores are most resistant to destruction, and if the sterilization is effective in eliminating bacterial spores then it can generally be assumed that all other pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms have been destroyed. Disinfection is a lower grade of sterilization and involves only the destruction of pathogenic organisms in the vegetative (or non-sporing) state; it does not involve the destruction of spores.

Sterilization is the only acceptable standard for surgical purposes although disinfection may well be suitable for other purposes. Sterilization Methods Sterilization can be achieved through a variety of methods and these will be considered individually with particular emphasis on the applicability of the method to the sterilization of plastics devices. No matter which sterilization method is used, the objective is to reduce the bioburden (the number of microorganisms present) to a safe level. [Production in a ‘clean room’ (of any standard) does not make a device sterile; it simply reduces the initial bioburden and concentration of foreign particles to make sterilization more effective.]

The main sterilization methods for medical devices are:

• Dry Heat

• Autoclaving

• Irradiation

• Gamma Rays

• E-beam

• Gaseous Chemicals (EtO)

Bond metal and plastic parts together without the need for glues, adhesives or additional heating or processes; distinct advantages over other bonding processes.

The basic principle of ultrasonic assembly involves conversion of high-frequency electrical energy to high-frequency mechanical energy in the form of reciprocating longitudinal motion which, when applied to a thermoplastic, generates frictional heat at the plastic/plastic or plastic/metal interface.

In ultrasonic insertion, a metal insert is placed in a cored or drilled hole which is slightly smaller than the insert. This hole provides a certain degree of interference and also serves to guide the insert into place. The vibrating ultrasonic horn contacts the insert and the ultrasonic vibrations travel through the insert to the interface of the metal and plastic. Heat, generated by the insert vibrating against the plastic, causes the plastic to melt, and as the horn advances, the insert is imbedded into the component. The molten plastic flows into the serrations, flutes, or undercuts of the insert and, when the vibrations terminate, the plastic resolidifies and the insert is securely encapsulated in place.

In ultrasonic insertion, a slow horn approach, allowing the horn to develop a homogeneous melt phase, is preferable to “pressing” the insert. Ultrasonic insertion provides the high performance strength values of a molded-in insert while retaining all of the advantages of post-molded installation. Inserts can be ultrasonically installed in most thermoplastics.

Some of the advantages of ultrasonic inserting over other methods include rapid installation, minimal residual stresses in the component following insertion, elimination of potential mold damage, reduced mold fabrication costs and increased productivity as a result of reduced mold cycle times. In some applications, multiple inserts can be imbedded simultaneously with special horns, increasing productivity and further reducing assembly and manufacturing costs.

Ultrasonic insertion is not restricted to standard-type threaded inserts. Inserts that can be installed ultrasonically include a variety of bushings, terminals, ferrules, hubs, pivots, retainers, feed-through fittings, fasteners, hinge plates, binding posts, handle-locating pins and decorative attachments