Where plasma makes the difference

Plasma activation is not permanent: surface energy decays after treatment, faster or slower depending on the material, the temperature and how the parts are stored. That is why plasma is installed in line, right before bonding, printing or sealing. For a lasting effect you need thin-film deposition, which grafts a permanent function rather than temporarily activating the surface.

Rarely in any deep way. A compact torch fits onto an existing conveyor or a robot arm; a plasma curtain sits on a reel-to-reel line. What you do need to plan for: power supply, gas feed if the process calls for it, extraction, and floor space. We validate all of that during the assessment phase, before you order anything.

We answer a first technical enquiry within 48 hours. For a sample treatment, allow a few more working days depending on lab load and the characterisation requested. The report comes back with before/after measurements — contact angle, surface energy — and an equipment recommendation. Send a sample.

Yes. The sample treatment service exists precisely for that: we treat your parts in our facilities in Quebec City, without you having to invest in equipment. It is also the right way to build a qualification file before industrialising.

No. These 18 pages cover the cases we see most often, not the limits of the technology. Plasma acts on the surface, so what matters is the material and the production step, not the sector label. Use the search field above with your material — PEEK, PET, silicone, aluminium — and you will probably find a neighbouring sector whose case resembles yours.

The two compare on three axes: the bond strength obtained, the cost per part, and regulatory constraints. Plasma adds no solvent and no VOCs, needs no drying time, and can be monitored continuously — but it requires in-line equipment. A primer costs less up front and more in use. Our article Improving adhesion works through the trade-off.

Atmospheric goes in line and treats at production speed, with no chamber; vacuum treats batches with better uniformity on complex geometries. The choice comes down to volume, part shape and the uniformity you need. We wrote a full selection guide on that question.