Flame treatment for plastics processes are used to improve several plastic manufacturing and finishing processes by altering the surface of the plastic. Flame treatment is used to enhance the plastic surface, which is chemically inert to adhering with surface treatments such as printing and bonding. Have you ever tried to write on plastic with a marker? It rubs right off due to the nonporous surface. Applying a flame treatment process changes the molecular structure of the polymer to allow adhesion of inks, coatings and glues.
Flame treatment as a pretreatment process is also useful in manufacturing processes where products require the removal of excess flash or contaminants. When plastic products are molded by injection, blow or extrusion processes, depending on the condition of the tool or the molding process, parts may require the removal of strings and excess flash buildup dimensional areas.
Rather than pay an employee to sit there and clean up each part with a razor knife or a rotary tool, treat your plastic parts with a flame treatment machine as they move on an automated conveyor system.
Flame Treatment for Plastics Improves Various Industrial Processes
Flame treating your plastics products provides several benefits over other treatment methods in many industrial and commercial applications. Manufacturers in in a wide range of industries realize process improvements from incorporating automated pretreatment processes including:
- Automotive
- Aerospace
- Medical
- Glass
- Textile
- Screen Printing
- Packaging
- Plastic Film Manufacturers
This is a concise list of the many applications in which flame treatment for plastics is improving manufacturing methods with several advantages.
Cost Saving Advantages of Flame Treatment for Plastics
Several advantages of flame treatment processes realized by manufacturers include:
- Reduced Labor Expense – Let the flame treatment equipment produce a smooth and finished product at a higher rate of productivity and for far less cost than repetitive labor.
- Higher Productivity – Flame pretreatment machines produce flawless product with high speed automation.
- Increased Profitability – With reduced labor expense and increased productivity, companies see a quick ROI with increased profitability.
- Improved Product Quality – Flame treatment pretreatment applications produce a higher quality of product with improved surface adhesion and appearance.
- Increased Product Strength – Treating the plastic surface with flame treatment machines does more than improve the surface appearance, it creates a stronger, more durable product.
- Eco-Friendly Process – Flame treatment machines provide advantages over chemical treatment methods including employee safety and storage requirements of chemical treatment products
With all these advantages it is easy to see why manufacturers are realizing the many advantages of automated flame treatment equipment.
Superior Flame Treatment Equipment from Systematic Automation
When you need answers to flame treatment processes, contact the flame treatment specialists and original equipment manufacturer, Systematic Automation. We are your one stop shop for questions and answers with proven solutions to improving your plastics part treatment process.
We have developed various flame treatment machines with patented technology that provides high-tech solutions in simple to operate equipment.
Model FL Flame Treatment Machine
The Model FL Flame Treatment Machine by Systematic Automation provides a 360° all over cure area in a compact and affordable flame treatment system. Our universal unique vacuum platens hold down products of various shapes and sizes, treating different sized products at the same time. The Model FL state-of-the-art pretreatment machine is used to treat a multitude of products including plastic and glass bottles, mugs, growlers and drinkware.
Systematic Automation utilizes proprietary technology for patented equipment features. Our Model FL flame treatment machine features a Geneva indexer, specially engineered and driven by a 100-volt variable speed motor. This provides very smooth operation even when accelerating or decelerating. We use high quality components with all manufacturing and quality testing performed in the U.S. All our machines are designed for long lasting, high performance with simple operation requiring ongoing minimal maintenance.
Leading Automated Equipment Manufacturer
Flame treating plastic aids several industrial processes and is used to enhance the surface of several plastic products for better adhesion. Plastics are chemically inert Polyolefin materials, and Industrial polyolefins are polymers such as thermoplastic resins and elastomers. These include polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polybutene, elastomers, and polyethylene rubbers.
These various polymers are generally unreceptive to bonding with adhesives such as coatings, inks, and varnishes as they have characteristics of a non-stick, non-adhesive surface. Polyethylene and polypropylene are two polymers that are most resistant to bonding with other substances due to a nonporous exterior with low surface energy, thus low surface tensions.
Flame treating plastics is important because these polymers are used in a huge percentage of products used in manufacturing and industrial processes around the globe, to produce items used by consumers every day. Manufacturing processes benefitting from flame treating plastic products include plastics producers whether they be extrusion, injection molding or plastic film manufacturers, automotive, medical, textile, glass, packaging and many other industrial processes that improve product quality with flame treatment.
Flame Treatment Superior Method to Improve Adhesion to Plastics
Some manufacturers choose to apply a primer to the surface of their plastic product for improved bonding ability, which could pose contamination risks or harmful chemical exposure to employees. Using chemical treatment methods requires purchasing and storing hazardous chemicals and maintaining Material Safety Data Sheets on all products. Chemical treatment can also result in an inconsistent process due to drying and evaporation on the surface.
In addition to flame treating plastics, some processes use a corona or plasma pretreatment machine. Corona pretreatment machines are typically used to increase surface energy of foils and films which improve adhesion with a high frequency discharge. Plasma treaters increase adhesion of plastic surfaces by removing inorganic and organic contaminants on the surface. This is effective on certain metals, glass, elastomers and polymers.
Flame treatment machines are effective in pretreating plastics to improve their bonding ability, surface tension and wettability to improve adhesion during several processes including:
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- Laminating
- Painting
- Coating applications
- Printing processes
- Bonding
A precisely positioned flame with carefully controlled temperatures is used to quickly treat the plastic product causing the necessary chemical reaction without melting the plastic. In many cases, flame treating machines can be used instead of the corona treater or plasma treater, and for less money when you contact the surface treater experts at Systematic Automation.
The effects of any pretreatment process causing a molecular polymer reaction that allows adhesion is most effective immediately following the treatment, and will gradually decline. Flame treatment machines are therefore often the first step of an inline procedure, with products moving directly into printing, painting and coating processes.
Systematic Automation are Flame Treatment Experts
Systematic Automation are the flame treatment experts, with patented technology incorporated into our flame treatment systems. We have developed the Model FL flame treatment machine with 360° all over total cure area, perfect for flame treating plastic mugs, growlers, glassware and even odd-shaped three-dimensional products. Our rotating vacuum platens provide universal hold down force while precisely exposing your product to just the right amount of flame to produce the polymer reaction necessary for further processing.
The Model FL Flame Treatment Machine is compact and versatile for pretreating various cylindrical products in assorted sizes. This pretreatment machine is easy to operate with a simple overload clutch, Geneva indexer which provides smooth acceleration and deceleration, with a 100-volt variable speed motor.
Pretreatment machines from Systematic Automation are made with quality components, with all assembly and testing performed in the United States. Our machines are made for long lasting performance, providing high quality products for many years with low maintenance requirements.
We have skilled design engineers on staff to custom design an automated solution just for you, incorporating flame treatment, screen printing and vacuum tables to provide comprehensive automated solutions. Our experienced staff has in-depth knowledge of the proper method for flame treating plastic products, with vast knowledge to develop a custom solution for your specific process. Our patented automated machines are proven to provide higher quality products with faster turn-around to support higher profitability in high-volume production processes.
Systematic Automation is a leading supplier of screen printing machines, vacuum tables, UV treatment and flame treatment machines for plastics, glassware and a wide variety of products. Contact us today for proven solutions with high-tech yet simple to operate equipment used in flame treatment for plastics.