Plasmatreat at the EXPOGRÁFICA in Mexico
The EXPOGRÁFICA in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico opened its doors in the beginning of April. The international exhibition, with numerous visitors from the neighbouring Latin American states, is considered in central America the most important event in the graphic art industry.
By the Openair® plasma system PT1 (middle)
an activation of a plastic surface can be demonstrated within seconds.
Tim Smith (Vice President, Plasmatreat North America) with Emilio Corti (Regional Market Director, Bobst).
Plasmatreat, as a guest at the Bobst booth, exhibited for the first time at this trade show. For more than a year the Swiss manufacturer, Bobst, has been offering an integrated Openair® plasma technique to its worldwide customers as an option on its folding boxes gluing machines.
Plasmatreat North America Inc., represented by its Vice President, Tim Smith, demonstrated the effects of atmospheric plasma to the specialised public by means of the plasma unit PT1. The system, comprising a single plasma jet, can show within seconds the effect of activation on a plastic surface.
The tradeshow visitor can do the test by himself: A piece of plastic is inserted into the automated device and is then partly treated by the emerging plasma beam. In this demonstration the plastic will then be manually sprayed with water. Clearly visible: A uniform film of water covers the treated part of the surface, while on the untreated part single water drops have formed. The explanation: By the input of high energy (plasma) the surface energy of the plastic has risen over 72 mJ/m², while on the rest of the material’s surface the energy has stayed at its initial level of about 30 mJ/m².
Openair® plasma treatment increases the energy of plastic surfaces. The consequence: On the treated part (right) water sticks as a uniform film.
Although water based glues are currently being used in the production of plastic laminated folding boxes, adhesion problems arise quite often because the energy of the surface to be bonded is too low. By utilizing a plasma pre-treatment, the surface energy of the plastic surface can be raised such that a perfect bond can be assured with water based glue.
