Screen printing on plastic by the company LTP

La Tôlerie Plastique guarantees you a controlled quality, thanks to a fully integrated manufacturing process here in Octeville-sur-Mer, where we carry out all the finishing stages, such as screen printing on plastic.
Screen printing (from the Latin sericum, silk, and the Greek graphein, writing) is a printing technique that uses stencils (originally silk screens) placed between the ink and the substrate. The media used can be varied (plastic, paper, cardboard, textile, metal, glass, wood, etc.). (Wikipedia)

This process was created by the Chinese between 960 and 1279. It was only in the 19th century that this process spread to Europe and the American continent.

What is meant by « Plastic Screen Printing » ?

In the screen-printing process on plastic, the stencils let the ink through. The visual (text, logo or image) is not produced by the computer (digital printing), but by a mechanical process.

For plastic screen printing, before a front panel, part, case or plastic terminal can be printed, the screen must first be made.

To screen print on plastic in several colours, each colour is produced simultaneously with one screen per colour, allowing the ink to pass through to the right place to create the text, logo or image. If you are looking for a multi-colour plastic screen printing process for small and medium quantities, we recommend digital printing, which seems economical. Here are more explanations in the following paragraph.

What are the advantages of plastic screen printing?

Making a screen takes time and has a cost. It is difficult to recoup the cost if your custom plastic part is not made in large quantities. However, screen printing on plastic is very economical if you have a high-volume production run. Another advantage or disadvantage, depending on the quantity, is the SINGLE COLOUR per pass nature of the screen printing process.

Screen printing can only print one colour per screen, although today there is very sophisticated equipment. Therefore, it is more advantageous to produce a full-colour image or colour gradients with digital printing.

Here are some of the pluses and minuses we have identified to help you choose.

Cons

Impossible to achieve a colour gradient
Costly and inflexible for small and medium series

Pros

Silk-screen printing on plastic
Economical and fast for large quantities
Metallised effect possible

For the finishing of your customised case or plastic part developed for your device, take advantage, as for the keyboard or accessory part, of the complete LTP offer. Our teams can also create your visual from your logo, text and colour codes. This flexibility allows you to concentrate on the development of your device.

It is also possible to change your visual between series. Has your marketing department changed your company’s graphic charter? Are you a company manager who wants to modernise your visual identity? No problem with your plastic marking. Send us the information, and our plastic marking service will make the changes and send you proof for approval.

Give us a call +33(0)2 35 54 63 40.
Let's talk about your project to find the right solution. Our teams are at your service.