The Impact of Laser Radiation on Polypropylene Molded Pieces Depending on Their Surface Conditions

Czyżewski Czyżewski,Sykutera Sykutera,Troszyński Troszyński,Bieliński Bieliński

doi:10.3390/polym11101660

Czyżewski Czyżewski, Sykutera Sykutera + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11101660

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Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the impact of a laser beam interaction (Nd: YVO4) with selected operational parameters on the quality of graphical marks obtained on the surfaces of polypropylene-molded pieces with different surface textures (variable parameters of the surface layer). Polypropylene test specimens were produced by injection using the original injection mold, which allowed for the obtainment of products with variable surface finish parameters determined by the surface condition of the forming cavity. The presented relationship between the parameters of laser performance, the texture of a molded piece surface, the molded piece’s color, and types of masterbatches supporting the marking process allows for the assessment of the efficiency of graphic symbol application by laser marking. The original evaluation criteria for the conducted process were adopted.

Highlights

The increasing requirements concerning the quality of the marking of polymer products have been attributed to a need for increasing the durability of the graphic record, as well as to a tendency to individualize products
Resulting from the laser beam impact the surface of the molded pieces was obtained for the samples, characteristic parameters of this system were of Moplenthe
The research confirmed that polypropylene is a material whose susceptibility to laser marking is conditioned by a much larger number of factors than in the case of other construction plastics

Summary

Introduction

The increasing requirements concerning the quality of the marking of polymer products have been attributed to a need for increasing the durability of the graphic record, as well as to a tendency to individualize products. Laser marking is used in the production of packaging, cables and technical products in medicine and other everyday-use devices [1,2] Another important argument for using this method is environmental protection. Product marking by laser radiation reduces the amount of material used in traditional methods of the decorating of product surface layers, such as technologies of printing, painting, tamponing (a specific type of paint), and in IML (in-mold-labelling of foil). This facilitates an effective identification of polymers in the sorting stage [3].

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