Working with color concentrates? Here is everything you need to know!

The different industries such as medical industry, construction industries etc consider color as one of the important element for marketing and sales. However, if we talk about the different plastic industries, it is very important for them to have deep knowledge about the different implication of colors for their business.

Are you thinking of working with color concentrate? Well, here are some of things that you need to know-

• One of the most important things is that it is very important to use the right concentrates at the very beginning of the product development cycle to avoid any kind of problem that may arise in the future if proper planning is not done.

• The mixture of all the different ingredients that is used to make a colorant includes 30% to 50% of a pelletized concentrate. The remaining is known as carrier resin that acts as a binder for the colorant

• There are typically two methods of adding these concentrates. The first method is to add the base color in a liquid carrier whereas the second method involves breaking down of the pigments into fine particles after which the color is dispersed into the liquid carrier.

• The concentrates that you need to add to the base resin are usually at levels of 2-5 lb per 100 lb to the natural material.

• It is very important for a carrier resin to chemically match the base resin. The easiest way for this is to make the concentrate from exact type of polymer as the base resin.

• Molecular weight of the carrier is another important component that should not be ignored. The molecular weight is usually expressed in terms of Melt Flow Rate (MFR). In addition, for a good mixing, a carrier with high Melt Flow Rate is preferred than the base resin.

• However, if the Melt Flow Rate of the carrier resin is high, it means that the final product will show some signs of reduced performance in the final result.

There are number of benefits of using these concentrates therefore, if you are thinking of working with the concentrates, do not forget to consider the aforementioned things.

All you need to know about color concentrates

Many industries including medical, construction and consumer industries make extensive use of colors and consider them as an imperative element for marketing and sales.

The ones who run plastic industry are more curious to bring their business to new heights. Moreover, they want to be ahead of the other competitors. However, in order to achieve their desired goals, one needs to have keen knowledge about implication of colors.

One should be very thoughtful about using the Color Concentrates right from the beginning of product development cycle in order to avoid any kind of limitations that may arise if proper planning is not done.

There are many factors to consider before the doing selection of these concentrates like temperature, material selection, molding, product life cycle, certification and many other factors. Moreover, when concentrate is to be added, it should be done keeping in mind to what kind of material, it is to be added in. Moreover, selection requires some attention in adding concentrates, so they are not added casually.

These concentrates are added using two methods. The first method involves adding up of base color in a liquid carrier with a high-speed mixer. Concentrate added is at level of 2-5 lb per 100 lb to the base resin.

In the second method, pigments are broken down and turned into fine particles and then the color is dispersed into the liquid carrier. One should use this method when you need to work with organic colorants in order to achieve the best color dispersion.

However, in order to add these concentrates, some of the equipments are required in order to gauge and drive the substance from its storage container to the other in order to mix with the resin material.

There are various other methods to do this process but whatever method is used, it is imperative to remember that liquid color requires additional equipment to set up the liquid into your system.

 There are numerous benefits of using these concentrates over the other and some of them are discussed below-

• The first advantage of using this concentrate is that it can easily handle all forms of materials.

• These concentrates can be scattered effectively that results to produce better color earning

• It also provides chemical addition stability.

What you need to know about the classification of color compounds!

Colors have a special place and meaning in our lives. There is no substitute for colors, which is why we include colors for everything in our everyday lives like; clothing, cars, housing, and in so many, many more things including food. It’s just next to impossible to imagine or live our lives, without color.

Before differentiating color compounds, let us differentiate metals – ferrous and non-ferrous.

Ferrous are the ones, which have large concentration of iron in them and non-ferrous are the opposite.

Now take a look at the various types of compounds of colors-

     1. White Colored Compounds
At times, we need to shine the non-ferrous metals as much as we can. The process goes like this; first, the surface is prepared accordingly. Then, a white compound is applied to the surface to make it as shiny as possible.

     2. Red Colored Compounds
It is also used on non-ferrous metals, and the materials like knobs, fixtures, cabinets, buffs and domet are polished with the help of red colored compound.
These compounds help in giving shine to the knobs and make sure that there are no scratches left on the objects.

     3. Chrome color compound
Plated material is polished with the help of this category of the compounds of color. This helps in giving shine to the material. The chrome compound can be applied to stainless steel. Moreover, it also helps in giving a clear-cut look without any cuts on the material. There is no risk of corrosion on the non-ferrous material, if this compound is applied properly. However, chrome color can be used for non-ferrous and plastic material as well.

For non-ferrous materials, silica can also be used. Silica is a compound used in making flawless mirrors. The shine of a mirror depends on the amount of silica present in it.

Know more about Epoxy resins and their usage!

There is a variety of color compounds used by plastic manufacturing industries for making colored plastic objects. Besides manufacturing colored plastic goods, do you know how to color an epoxy resin? Here is a piece of information that will make you familiar with the procedure of coloring epoxy resin.

• Mix epoxy resin in the quantity specified by the manufacturer- One should wear gloves and work in a ventilated area as the mixing process release fumes, which are harmful for the body.
• Dip a toothpick in the mixture and place the coated toothpick into the mixture. Typically, you will need some more drops of color concentrate to get the color of your choice.

Mentioned below are some of the factors that you need to consider while using epoxy resins:

• When using epoxy resin, make sure that area you are gluing is clean and dry.
• Always mix epoxy resin in specified quantities.
• Make use of a large wooden spoon to mix hardener and powder together.

You need to act quickly to use epoxy resin as when it becomes gel, it is of no use. Then, you need to mix hardener and powder again.

The value of color concentrates in plastic manufacturing industries

Colors are an integral part of our lives. Colors are used for conveying messages and giving warning like in the case of traffic signals and many other rules. This is why the Plastic manufacturing companies make use of colors, in order to make their products different and attractive.

Do you know what a color concentrate is? It is a plastic compound that contains a high color percentage, and is then mixed in an appropriate ratio with resin, to create the required color. Several additives are also added to color concentrates, in order to add those special effects.

The Plastic manufacturing industries use such concentrates for different reasons. That is why, it is very important to choose the right concentrate, as to avoid serious issues in the future. Selecting the right color is also important in grabbing the customer’s attention. It is very important to consider the customer’s psychology, to bear competition in the market.

When buying color concentrates, there are many options to choose from. For example; when you buy a car, you look for all the different options available in terms of colors and shades. Suppose that all cars were the same color; then the roads would be boring, filled with vehicles of the same color.

The same principle applies in the case of the plastic industry. If these industries started manufacturing goods of the same color only, then no one will purchase what they have to offer.

That is why the plastic manufacturing industries need to manufacture in a large variety of colors; in order to make their products different and even unique.

The better the quality of the coloring agents is, the greater the chances for the products of becoming a success in the market. A variety of coloring agents have made it easy for businesses to target different audiences, based on their preference for different colors. The success rate of getting a required color depends on the quality of concentrates used, and on the ratio in which they are mixed.

There are different types of coloring agents available in the market. Each agent has its own properties, advantages, and disadvantages. It is possible that a certain concentrate may not be appropriate for coloring a particular type of plastic, in such case; you need to have the adequate knowledge about the different coloring agents and which is the best option; in order to provide appealing colors for the plastic goods manufactured by your business.

The wrong selection of a coloring agent will give rise to several problems like; color swirling and contamination. Therefore, one should have thorough knowledge about the unique characteristics of these concentrates, to avoid future problems.