Packaging that prints and seals flawlessly
Ink adhesion, seal strength and wettability for plastic films, trays and composite materials.
The surface challenge
Polyolefin films such as PE and PP have naturally low surface energy. Ink bleeds, varnish does not wet, the weld lacks strength. The result: scrap on the line and defects that show up on the shelf.
Plasma raises surface energy right before printing, lamination or sealing. The treatment fits in line, at production speed, with no drying step and no chemicals.
What plasma changes
| Indicator | Before | After plasma | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface energy — PE | 31 mN/m | 45 to 70 mN/m | Test inks |
| Surface energy — PP | 30 mN/m | 45 to 70 mN/m | Test inks |
| Contact angle (water) | 90 to 105° (polyolefins) | 35 to 70° depending on exposure | Goniometer, sessile drop |
| Effect retention | — | near-logarithmic decay; still hydrophilic at 7 days | Controlled ageing |
| Pass speed | — | 6 to 120 m/min per source | Configuration to be validated |
Documented order-of-magnitude figures, not our own measurements: pre-treatment values come from the Accu Dyne Test reference tables, post-treatment values from the atmospheric plasma literature. They place the process — they still depend on the substrate, its geometry and the line speed. A trial on your own part gives you your own numbers. Have my material measured.
What plasma changes
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01
Ink adhesion
Crisp, durable printing on plastic films that are hard to print.
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02
Seal strength
More reliable seals that cut leaks and scrap.
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03
Lamination preparation
Stable layer-to-layer adhesion for multilayer structures.
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04
Controlled wettability
Spread varnishes and adhesives uniformly, with no dewetting.
From your sample to your line
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01
Characterisation
You send us a sample. We measure its starting surface energy and identify what is blocking adhesion: contamination, release agent, non-polar polymer.
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02
Parameter trial
We vary power, pass speed, nozzle-to-substrate distance and gas until the target effect is reached, and record the parameters that got us there.
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03
Validation
We check the result with the test that matters to you — adhesion, sealing, wetting — and document how long the effect holds on your material.
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04
Integration
Inline, ahead of the press, the laminator or the sealer. We set the station's exact position, its width footprint, the connections and the extraction.
Atmospheric or vacuum plasma for a film line? The detailed comparison.
What plasma does, in detail
The right equipment for this sector
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Wide-web plasma curtain
For wide webs running continuously: the discharge covers the full film width with no mechanical scanning.
View the family -
Surface-discharge plasma source
When uniformity matters more than speed — trays, lidding film, flat formats.
View the family -
Surface energy test inks
To check surface energy at the line side, without stopping production.
View the family
The final choice is made on your part and your cadence, not from a catalogue. All equipment, sorted by the problem it solves.
Frequently treated materials
This list is indicative. The vast majority of polymers, metals, glasses and composites can be treated with DBD plasma. The best way to confirm your case is to send us a description of your part and your objective. For the hardware, see the plasma equipment sorted by the problem it solves.
What we get asked — Packaging
How long does the treatment effect last?
Activation is not permanent: surface energy decays after treatment, faster on mobile polymers and in warm storage. That is why plasma is placed immediately before the step it serves — printing, bonding, sealing. The decay rate is measurable, and we document it on your material during the trial.
Does plasma replace corona treatment?
Both raise surface energy, but not under the same conditions. Corona suits flat film running over a roller. Atmospheric DBD plasma also treats three-dimensional geometries, hollow parts and non-conductive surfaces, with a uniformity that does not depend on holding a constant air gap. On your part, the answer is settled by comparison, not by principle.
Does the treatment change the part's appearance or dimensions?
No. Plasma acts on the first few nanometres of the surface: mass, dimensions and bulk mechanical properties are unchanged. On heat-sensitive substrates, parameters are adjusted to avoid any marking, and that is one of the things checked at the validation stage.
Are chemicals or a drying step required?
No. The treatment runs on electricity and process gas, with no primer, no solvent and no drying time. That is what lets it sit inside a line without lengthening the cycle, and what removes a hazardous-goods handling station.
Can it be retrofitted to an existing line?
That is the most common case. The treatment installs inline, at production speed. Three things need checking: the space available at the useful point, the electrical and gas connections, and extraction. Those three are what the integration stage covers.
Does it work on recycled PE?
Yes, but recycled resins are less consistent than virgin ones: additive loading and residues vary between batches, and so does the surface energy you get. In practice we set parameters on the worst batch and check the margin. This is a case where a prior trial genuinely earns its keep.
The selection guide
Atmospheric or vacuum? The question comes up on every project, and it is settled on three concrete criteria — not on a preference for one process.
- Both architectures, what each one can do and what it costs
- Three deciding criteria: part geometry, robotic integration, cycle time
- A grid to fill in so you can defend the choice to an investment committee
Guide being written — leave your email and you will get it on release.
In the meantime, the article comparing both architectures : The detailed comparison.
Related sectors
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Printing
Same films, same inks, further down the line.
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Food processing
The same packaging, seen from the food-contact and sealing side.
What you send, what you get back
- You send
- [x] samples of your part or film, [x] minimum size.
- You receive
- surface energy values before and after, one treated sample, and a written record of the parameters used.
- Turnaround
- first reply within 48 hours, trial report within [x] business days.
- Cost
- [x]
Send a description of your part and your goal. Answer within 48 hours.
Three fields, and we get back to you
Less scrap, more strength.
48 hours to find out what plasma can do for your surfaces. No commitment, just clear answers from an expert.
Response within 48 hours. No commitment. A technical discussion with an expert.