Corotec’s Plasma-Jet® Solution Eliminates Solvent Problem for Printing on 3D Plastic Medical Devices

Corotec Corporation’s Plasma-Jet® corona treatment system is being used to solve the problem of printing usage instructions on plastic medical devices so that they will withstand damage from solvents used in the preparation of orthopedic compounds. These extremely aggressive solvents can quickly eat away and dissolve critical usage instructions printed on the device, causing the printing to become unreadable and making the device unfit for medical use.

Immedica, Inc., of Chatham, New Jersey, produces the TwistOR™ Bone Cement System, a leading product for the mixing and dispensing of cements for orthopedic applications. Plasma-Jet corona pre-treating is used to make the TwistOR bowl’s surface more receptive to durable, reliable printing. The Plasma-Jet solution for the TwistOR also provides a post-treatment process that allows the ink to dry permanently almost immediately upon printing. “It’s a dual solution in a single product,” said Bruce Stobbe, president of Corotec Corporation. “First, we ensure permanent adhesion of those crucial instructions on the TwistOR’s surface. Then, we save the manufacturer time and expense with the quick-drying post-treatment.”

Plasma-Jet systems are being used to solve surface adhesion problems for a wide and growing range of applications in many industries, including caps and closures, electrical and electronic components, hot stamping, adhesive coating, laminating, adhesive bonding, and much more.

The Plasma-Jet corona treatment process uses an electrical discharge, or corona, to increase a plastic or metal product’s ability to hold inks and other materials to its surface. It’s a much more reliable and consistent method than open-flame treatment, chemical surface preparation, or sanding techniques. It’s also safer and more productive corona treatment eliminates the hazards of open flames and chemicals to operators and their working environment. In addition, it allows the surface treating of sensitive materials, such as light films, without damaging or distorting them.

The innovative Plasma-Jet can treat the multiple surfaces of 3D plastic parts in a single pass, even at high line speeds and with complex part geometries. The system is designed to be sized and configured to fit virtually any production environment, and it can be easily and reliably matched to a variety of line speeds, treatment widths, and product materials. The compact, portable Plasma-Jet can be moved and installed wherever it’s needed temporarily or permanently and it operates on ordinary 120-volt power, without gas lines or other utilities.