For most, however, this would be a grossly inefficient marking method. If the application is low enough volume, you could use a marker to add a n expiration date by hand to each piece of plastic packaging. Markers are best suited to low volume applications, however, and most applications where an expiration date is required are medium to high volume. Industrial paint markers might seem like a viable solution they create a permanent mark without the use of heat. Just to clarify, it is definitely possible to hot stamp plastic however, it has to be thick plastic, like that used in hosing, but by and large, packaging that requires an expiration date is typically too thin for this marking method. Hot stamping, for instance, would be a terrible choice for marking thin plastic because it would be nearly impossible to prevent the marking tool from burning right through the plastic. There are a lot of ways to permanently mark a material (laser engraving, hot stamping, markers) but not all of them are suitable for the types of thin plastic most packaging is made of.
The first thing to consider when marking an expiration date on thin plastic is the type of mark you want to create. So, what options do you have for printing expiration dates on plastic? Considerations for Printing Expiration Dates on Plastic It gives you the greatest range of options at a great price.There are many reasons to mark plastic, but with the increasing popularity of plastic packaging, for everything from milk to motor oil, it’s no surprise that the most common reason for marking plastic is to apply an expiration date to a food or beverage item. If you are hoping to build large-scale models, cosplay items like armor or helmets, or you are looking to produce prototypes rapidly, then an FDM 3D printer is likely the right choice for you. The level of resolution that a resin printer can bring is extraordinary. If you are hoping to print miniatures for board games, highly detailed models, or production-quality parts, then an SLA/DLP printer is the best choice.
It all depends on the kind of printing you want to do. If you look at the Joker model we used by Wekster, you can see that although the model isn't quite as nice as the resin version, it still looks excellent. That isn't to say that a well-tuned FDM printer can't give you amazing detail they can. It's only when you start wanting to make smaller models in finer detail that FDM printing can run aground. These can be used to make strong models and moving parts. Many printers can print exotic materials like carbon fiber and nylons that are incredibly strong. FDM printing is also very good at making practical prints. Most maker spaces around the country use FDM printers as they are cheap and reliable. The nature of the printing makes it very easy to set up and very easy to learn. The next layer is then placed on top of the previous layer.įDM printing is used far and wide in modeling and for producing larger parts like cosplay armor and helmets. A string of plastic called a filament is melted through a hot end and deposited on the build plate. What is FDM printing?įused deposition modeling (FDM) is the style of printing you are likely most familiar with. You can now buy an excellent wash and cure station that can speed up the curing process considerably, and Peopoly has released an enormous printer called the Phenom that will resin print your parts on a much larger scale. There have been great strides to solve both these problems, though.
You will also have to wash the print and further cure it after it has been printed to get the full effect. They also tend to be a little slower than FDM printers as they have to cure. The downside is that they tend to have smaller build plates than filament (FDM) printers, so you can't make large pieces on them. This allows you to print a model with extremely fine detail, far more than a standard filament printer can produce, and the result tends to need far less post-processing work to give you a finished product. The print bed then rises slightly to let the next layer cure. The cheaper versions use an LCD to shine a UV image into the resin, which cures it into a solid layer. Stereolithography/digital light processing (SLA/DLP) printers are, essentially, 3D printers that print using light to cure liquid resin into layers.
Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)