Whenever we discuss printing materials with the printer, all sorts of "Poly's" come up. Do you have a lot of questions? What are they talking about when they speak of Tetoron, Polystyrene, PolyGold, PolySilver...? What are the differences in the characteristics of these materials? HOLO SOLUTION has compiled charts to help you quickly understand the various commonly used "Poly's" and "P's" in printing. By gaining an understanding of their printing characteristics, you can reduce the chances of using incorrect materials and increase the efficiency of communication with the printing factory.
The various types of Poly's used in printing materials
Tetoron｜Name｜ PET (polyethylene terephthalate) Polyester, Mylor, Peto ｜Characteristics｜ Temperature resistance range: -20-120℃; Melting point: 260 degrees High density (1.38) and stiffness Good weather resistance ｜Judgement｜ Lightly shaken, brittle sound Does not stretch or tear easily Flame is yellow with fragrance Flames are white when blown out Mostly made of tamper evident material | Polyvinyl Chloride｜Name｜ PVC (polyvinyl chloride) ｜Characteristics｜ Temperature resistance range: 60 degrees Hard density 1.4, soft 1.2 Good weather resistance A common material for shrink film. ｜Judgement｜ Hard PVC is easily confused with PET. Soft PVC is more ductile. Smells badly The flame is green with a sour smell. The flame is black when blown out. |
Transparent PET ｜Name｜ Transparent Sticker There are also transparent laminates made of PP or PVC! ｜Characteristics｜ The same as Tetoron Stiffer than PP (not suitable for bending) More transparent and brighter than PP More scratch resistant than PP Easier to print and adhere than PP ｜Judgement｜ Compared to Tetoron |
The various types of “P’s” used in printing materials
PP ｜Name｜ Polypropylene, bright (fog) P OPP is unidirectional oriented stretch PP POPP is bi-directional stretch film ｜Characteristics｜ Temperature resistance range: about 70 degrees Often used as a laminate for ink and moisture protection Printing does not adhere easily Easily scratched than Tetoron ｜Judgement｜ Softer and easier to tear than Polyester. Smells like candles after burning | PE ｜Name｜ Polyethylene ｜Characteristics｜ Temperature resistance range: about 60-70 degrees Soft material Mostly used for plastic bags and lamination inside laminated bags. ｜Judgement｜ Can be easily torn and stretched by hand. Tearing the parallel side fine and smooth No odor or candle smell when burned PE powder is an important component of fragile stickers. |
Synthetic PP ｜Name｜ Synthetic polypropylene Sometimes abbreviated as synthetic paper But there are many kinds of synthetic paper ｜Characteristics｜ Temperature resistance range: about -20-80 degrees More water and moisture resistant than paper Easier to print and attach than Tetoron Can be used instead of PVC ｜Judgement｜ Muffled sound when shaken lightly Can be torn off by hand with irregular jagged shape. | Pearlescent paper ｜Name｜ PEPA®, Polypropylene + Acrylic film ｜Characteristics｜ Temperature resistance range: about 80 degrees Water-proof and moisture-proof Better opacity than synthetic PP Multi-layer coating on the surface Print adhesion must be observed ｜Judgement｜ Muffled sound when shaken lightly Easy to peel off with a single stroke The surface coating can be removed with a fingernail or a strong object. |
PC ｜Name｜ Polycarbonate ｜Characteristics｜ Not resistant to chemical corrosion Easily scratched, soft and impact resistant Surface is often embossed or matte Can be stamped, but yellowing will occur if engraved Less than 100um, often compared to PET Larger than 100um, often compared with PMMA ｜Judgement｜ Flammable with aroma (phenol) | PMMA ｜Name｜ Polymethyl methacrylate Acrylic Plexiglass ｜Characteristics｜ Good hardness Scratch and abrasion resistant, not impact resistant and easily cracked Can be laser cut and engraved High optical transparency ｜Judgement｜ More resistant to scratches than PC Usually thicker (>0.64mm) |
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