Coloring plastic directly during the molding process ensures enduring and deeply embedded hues that maintain longevity. Achieving the right appearance for your injection-molded part holds significant importance. Optimal coloring contributes to brand identity and captivates consumer attention. At Lingshantech, we provide diverse secondary processes like painting and plating to ensure precise coloration. However, these processes often entail additional costs and elongate project timelines. Paint, being a surface treatment, is prone to chipping, scratches, and vulnerability to chemicals. In contrast, molding in colored plastic guarantees consistent pigmentation throughout the part, resisting chipping or fading associated with paint layer deterioration.

Lingshantech presents a range of standard colors for plastic parts, though the depiction on screens might differ based on individual device color settings. For more precise color matching during molding, Pantone Matching System (PMS) codes can be utilized.

Advantages of Mold in Color Plastic:

• Solid coloring all the way through the part.
• Mold-in-Color will not chip or fade like paint.
• Accurate color matching with our plastic color code system.

Although colored plastics find extensive applications across diverse industries, the methods employed by manufacturers to achieve distinct hues often remain unfamiliar or overlooked by many. The formulation of resin colors represents a sophisticated science that the plastics industry has persistently refined since its inception.

The Color Matching Process

Throughout the color matching process, the initial step involves using a Pantone number, chip, or plaque to identify the desired hue. Manufacturers gather information regarding the product's intended application, aiding in the precise formulation of the color concentrate.

However, creating a color concentrate is a nuanced procedure far beyond mere color mixing. When matching a polymer, numerous factors come into play, including viscosity and melt processing temperatures. Adhering to formulation guidelines and the color match request form, facilities determine the suitable carrier resins, pigment systems, stabilizers, and other additives essential for a specific product or part. A comprehensive understanding of these variables is crucial in crafting a tailored color concentrate.

Multiple other considerations also factor into the color matching process. For instance, a polymer's gloss, appearance, and filler content significantly influence the perception of color; the same hue in nylon will differ markedly from that in acrylic. Environmental conditions, chemical compatibility, and adherence to FDA standards are additional critical elements weighed during the color match preparation phase.

Actual Methods For Coloring Plastics
Numerous techniques exist for coloring resin. Selecting the right method demands meticulous attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the client's requirements. Below, we'll explore several prevalent approaches to color plastics.

Pre-colored Resins

Manufacturers who aren't well-versed in managing customized color matches often opt for pre-colored resins due to their simplicity and rapid matching capabilities. Pre-colored pigments are fully integrated into a resin package, ready to be utilized by molders as is, thereby instilling greater confidence in maintaining consistent color consistency across different batches.

Masterbatches

A masterbatch is a blend of highly concentrated pigments dispersed within a polymer carrier resin. During the molding process, this masterbatch is introduced into a natural resin and fed into the press at a predefined ratio, resulting in the desired coloration. Depending on the chosen polymer carrier, this masterbatch can be employed to color different resins. Despite its apparent complexity, this method is widely adopted by molders due to its high compatibility and ease of processing. Additionally, masterbatches provide a cost-effective means to color plastics and can be utilized in manufacturing scenarios involving lower production volumes.

Pigments for Plastic

Pigments are the hues blended with polymers to produce a concentrate. They exist in organic and inorganic forms, each presenting its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Although pigments impart vibrant colors to plastics, they also contribute to product functionality. The selection of pigments by a manufacturer can significantly influence:

• Transparency: To achieve reduced opacity in a plastic color, it is necessary to produce smaller particles to ensure improved dispersion.
• Weathering: Certain pigments are more suitable for outdoor environments than others, and it's crucial to take this into account when designing products intended for
• Light fastness: This aspect assesses performance within indoor settings. Generally, inorganic pigments excel in achieving high light fastness levels.
• Warping: During the manufacturing process, certain pigments, particularly organic ones, might induce warping or shrinkage in plastic products. Developers should consider this factor when utilizing organic pigments.

Application-Specific Considerations for Coloring Plastic

The applications of coloring plastic are not limited to enhancing a product’s aesthetic features. Far from it. Let’s dive into some specific applications for coloring plastics.

Objects intended for contact with food

such as storage receptacles, utensils, and dishware, must adhere strictly to stringent regulations regarding Food Contact Substances (FCS). These regulations are established to ensure the safety of end-users. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) resins represent a prevalent choice in producing "food contact" plastics, notably in items like soda bottles and salad dressing containers. PET's stability as a resin allows it to resist corrosion, fend off microorganisms, and maintain its integrity when in direct contact with food or beverages.

Additionally, various other food-safe plastic resins—such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, and HDPE—offer distinct advantages in terms of durability, non-reactivity, and storage suitability, providing manufacturers of food packaging with safe and non-hazardous solutions. Contamination of food by resin coloring pigments can pose significant safety risks, emphasizing the critical need for adherence to safety measures in food packaging production.

Toys and Items Meant For Children

In the production of plastic toy components and goods, manufacturers encounter regulatory challenges akin to those faced in the creation of plastics used in contact with food. As numerous toy parts and products integrate colored plastics in their fabrication, it becomes imperative for manufacturers to ensure adherence to safety standards and conduct requisite testing procedures. This meticulous approach is essential in addressing potential hazards to consumers, particularly children.

Medical Grade Devices

Several medical uses necessitate stringent hygiene standards. Certain applications are designed to be inserted into or come into contact with delicate areas of the body, such as the mouth or blood vessels.

Car Accessaries

Achieving consistent color harmony among various car components poses a complex challenge for manufacturers. When aiming to match the color of a plastic handle with that of a metal door, meticulous attention is required to ensure exact color synchronization. This involves selecting precise hues that maintain visual uniformity despite variations in lighting, material disparities, and diverse environmental conditions.

Other Plastics Exposed to the Environment

Plastics employed in outdoor settings, such as window components, are exposed to environmental elements like sunlight and rain. These factors can lead to color fading over time. Additionally, coloring applied to plastics should exhibit resistance to heat to maintain durability in varying temperatures. Substandard plastic coloring that fades can necessitate the replacement of components affected by this deterioration.

Create Precise Colors With Lingshantech

Utilize our range of spectrophotometers to measure colors precisely, align with industry color charts, develop concentrates, and adhere to PMS standards effortlessly. Discover our complete selection of spectrophotometers and connect with our team to learn how we can enhance and assist your operations.