Branding Solutions in Thermoforming

Branding your product is an effective way to enhance your customers’ experience of your company. Thermoforming offers a variety of ways to give your product an identity unique to you.

Thermoforming provides tool and non-tool options for branding. These can be permanent, ideal for long-established OEMs, or applied to finished products, making them changeable for startups.

Cost considerations should include upfront expenses and impact of changes later in the product life cycle. No matter what method you choose, thermoforming delivers attractive and effective branding on your parts.

Categories: In or On

Which type of value-added branding solution do you need?

Thermoforming can add branding by molding it into the product or applying it afterward. There are several solutions in these two categories. Each method offers unique advantages.

Whether you’re a startup or an established manufacturer, this article explains what you need to know. Keep reading to learn more, or contact Profile Plastics to discuss your project.

Molded-in Branding

Four methods of branding can be addressed right in the mold during thermoforming.

• Embossed logos or text
• Debossed logos or text
• Molded-in textures
• Custom color materials

Embossed or Debossed Logos

Embossing and debossing provide the best method to mold in your branding.  The two effects are related. Embossing creates a raised design above the surface while debossing is recessed for a sunken look.

These three-dimensional techniques are extremely cost-effective. They provide a repeatable way to add crisp logos, design elements, or text to thermoformed parts. If your part requires a section with a different color, a debossed line provides a break to ensure a clean paint edge.

Part orientation becomes an important consideration in the design process. Does the tool impact the A or B side of the part? There may be a trade-off between achieving the embossed/debossed element and the rest of the design.

When the design is in the mold, the expense per part is minimal. However, it forces you to decide early in the process if this direction is right for you because the tooling is essentially permanent. Tooling for thermoforming can essentially last the entire lifetime of the product.

Adding or eliminating branded features can be done via an insert in the tool, but modifications do add cost. That may make these options best for brands with more established identities.

Textures

Molded-in textures impart distinctive patterns or other customizable features associated with a brand. For example, a wood grain or a watermark can be added to a specific area.

Coarser textures can hide mold imperfections like voids. Fine textures (smaller than 0.002”) can be hardly visible, but there are times when difficult-to-form textures are desirable. On medical devices, for example, shallow textures are easier to clean and less likely to foster bacteria growth.

Learn more about texture options in our Molded-in Features technical article. For a full discussion on how to use textures, see our Design Guide.

Custom Colored Materials

Thermoplastics make branding easier with available custom colors. Having your brand color molded-in eliminates the need to paint parts. If you provide tailored products or equipment to your customers, you can have your parts thermoformed in their unique colors.

A custom color can be a cap layer on the starting sheet, or it can be throughout the entire sheet. Materials with color throughout won’t lose their color if surfaces are damaged.  It’s also possible to achieve specific gloss levels. Many OEM customers take advantage of this capability.

Pre & Post-Process Branding

Post-process branding solutions occur after thermoforming is complete while some techniques are applied to the thermoplastic sheet before forming.

• Pad printing
• Screen printing or digital printing
• Hot stamping
• Labeling and decals

Pad Printing

Pad printing uses ink on a silicone pad to transfer logos, text, or serial numbers to thermoformed parts. It’s often used to add color to embossed logos or text; however, protective coatings are typically required after printing.

It’s especially efficient for single colors, but pad printing can produce multiple colors through separate passes for each color.

Screen Printing or Digital Printing

Screen printing uses ink with a mesh screen and stencil. It can be done before or after forming, depending on the geometry of the part.

Direct digital printing can apply full color graphics and images onto a thermoplastic sheet before forming. Digital supports greater customization but requires a different curing process.

Printing on the flat sheet involves a special technique known as distortion forming. The design needs to be adjusted to fit how it stretches during forming.

Protective coatings are required when printing is done on the front surface of the part. Printing on the back of a clear sheet provides the best protection.

Hot Stamping

Hot stamping uses heat, pressure, and pre-dried inks or metal foils to transfer a design onto the surface of a thermoformed parts. Use this process to add metallic logos with intricate designs.

Labeling and Decals

Branding can be done with pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) labels, water transfer decals, or decals that use chemicals to remove a backing and adhere to thermoformed parts. Typically, these chemical solutions are more durable and last longer. Some decals require UV curing, while less durable products may scratch off.

Applications for decals can include logos with fine detail and full color. Simple labels can be used for serial numbers or left/right markings.

Traceability, when required, can be achieved in several ways using labels. Technology options include PSA labels with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Other options include chemical transfer decals with QR codes. For barcodes and serial numbers, laser etching can also add precise, permanent branding.

Application Considerations

Be sure to consider the environment your product will live in.

For example, medical devices require chemical resistance because of exposure to harsh cleaners. Chemical transfer decals may withstand regular scrubbing. For industrial equipment like forklifts, impact resistance is important. Durable custom color materials are common for brand association.

Conclusion

An experienced thermoformer can help you make the right choice for your branding solution, with cost-effective customized thermoformed parts that enhance your products.

For close-tolerance, cosmetic parts with added value, Profile can help you look your best!