Flame Treatment Proven to Improve Adhesion to Plastics

Plastics are generally nonporous and nonresponsive to bonding with other substrates such as coatings, varnishes, laminates, inks and lacquers.  Treating plastic products with a flame treatment machine alters the surface by causing a molecular reaction which allows for easier adhesion.  While there are other methods available to treat plastic products to allow for easier bonding, flame treating plastic products is proven safe, effective and efficient.   

Some manufacturing processes may use other methods to treat plastic parts, although they might not be as effective and cost-efficient as flame treatment.  Plastic products can be treated with applying a chemical coating such as a primer to allow for easier adhesion to inks and coatings.  This requires the use of chemicals, however, which can pose a safety risk to employees and may be hazardous to purchase and store.  Chemically treating plastic parts to prepare for a bonding application may result in inconsistencies due to varying parameters during drying time and evaporation.  

Other pretreatment machines include a corona treater or a plasma treater, in addition to the flame treatment machine.  The corona treater is used typically on foils and films to increase the surface energy which increases the ability of adhesion.  A plasma treating machine improves the adhesive quality on the surface of plastic by eliminating organic and inorganic surface contaminants.  Plasma treaters are effective on specific polymers, elastomers, glass and metals.  

Flame treatment systems are used to pretreat the surface of plastics improving their surface tension, wettability and allow adhesion during many processes including:  

• Bonding
• Laminating
• Coating applications
• Painting
• Printing processes 
  With a flame positioned precisely toward the plastic product with temperatures carefully controlled, flame treatment is effective at causing the required chemical reaction quickly and without causing the plastic to melt.  In many situations a flame treatment machine may be used rather than a plasma or corona treater.  The pretreatment specialists at Systematic Automation can help you determine when a flame treatment machine would be the best choice for your process.  
  Flame Treatment Specialists at Systematic Automation 
  Systematic Automation has more than thirty years of experience in developing automated equipment used in pretreatment processes, screen printing machines, UV curing systems and vacuum tables. We have incorporated patented technology to develop our Model FL flame treater, providing 360° total cure area to cylindrical and odd-shaped products that are securely held in place with rotating vacuum platens.  Our unique design allows for quick and efficient flame treatment to plastic mugs, glassware, growlers and three-dimensional products.   
  The Model FL flame treater is versatile and compact, fast and efficient, and is often the first of inline procedures in a high-volume process with products moving onto screen printing, coating or varnishing.  Systematic Automation manufactures automated equipment with high quality components, and all design, engineering and manufacturing is conducted in the United States.  All our machines are rigorously tested for high quality prior to shipping, with ongoing exceptional customer service and support.  

Systematic Automation is a leading pretreatment machine manufacturer, providing patented and proprietary technology for long lasting, high performance.  We offer custom development services for screen printing, UV curing, vacuum systems and flame treatment systems.  Contact us today to speak with a pretreatment specialist to learn about our proven flame treatment solutions.