Polyfuze Labeling Material Testing TPE

Written By: Polyfuze

In this blog series so far, Polyfuze has covered application testing with the Polyfuze fusion label for several different plastic material types. HDPE, LDPE, Polypropylene and PVC plastic testing have been covered so far.

Continuing through this month you will see some more plastic material types that are tested with the Polyfuze label technology. In each post, Jason Brownell, our VP Sales Manager at Polyfuze Graphics Corporation, will demonstrate application on a new material type that the Polyfuze label has been formulated for. Jason will also explain some of the subtle differences and troubleshooting areas that may occur with each material and how to achieve the best results for each.

If you have already trialed Polyfuze technology but are struggling to get a consistent result, this series can jump start your success back on track for better production efficiency, more profits and less scrap for an overall better branding experience.

If you are an injection molder looking to permanently brand your polyolefin parts, then take a look at our videos to discover the permanent branding method that Polyfuze uses. No adhesives, no clear coats, no inks and no surface treatments required. Only heat, time and pressure is required from a standard hot stamp machine.

Polyfuze – Material Testing Episode 5 Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE):

In the 5th video of this series, we will be fusing the Polyfuze graphic into Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE). TPE is used in the automotive, household appliances, electrical, construction and healthcare markets. You may have also seen TPE used for snowmobile tracks, headphone wiring, catheters, weather stripping or HVAC materials. TPEs offer a combination of elastomeric properties like compression and tension set, coupled with aging performance and chemical resistance. In the family of TPE is also TPV, which combines the characteristic of vulcanized rubber with the processing properties of TPE. When stamping TPE plastic you will need to set your machine at 550°F and use a high temperature silicone die that is 80 durometer. We started with a dwell time of 0.4 of a second, due to the nature of the material and the rate at which it reaches a molten state. This dwell time is going to be a decrease in time compared to that of Polypropylene and you can work up or down from there as needed. You may also want to add head up delay on the machine as needed. The head up delay will allow the TPE to solidify from its molten state before the carrier film is stripped from the part. When the graphic has been successfully transferred, verify the permanence and 100% fusion of the Polyfuze labels into your TPE plastic by doing a standard ASTM Tape Test. View the ASTM tape testing video here to learn more. To learn more about the Polyfuze labeling technology for TPE and its family of flexible olefin materials, contact us here. View our Polyfuze label testing on HDPE here, testing on Polypropylene here, testing on LDPE here, or testing on PVC here. ^{References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic_elastomer}