Adhesion is won at the surface
Plasma prepares low-energy polymers and metals so that adhesives, paints and inks bond durably.
The symptom you know
What if the problem isn't your product, but the surface receiving it?
A bonded joint that peels after a few cycles. Paint that blisters. Ink that rubs off. The instinct is to switch adhesives or paint. But nine times out of ten, the problem isn't the product being applied — it's the surface that won't hold it. Many technical polymers (PP, PE, PEEK, composites) have surface energy too low for an assembly to hold without preparation.
Plasma, in practice
Lasting adhesion
Plasma raises surface energy so the adhesive forms a real bond, not a contact that gives way over time.
No solvent or primer
A dry process that replaces chemical primers and their drying, storage and safety constraints.
Inline-integrable
Treatment is placed right before the bonding step, at your production line's pace.
Compatible with your materials
Polymers, metals, glass and composites can all be treated with DBD plasma without altering part geometry.
Automotive suppliers, medical device manufacturers and industrial printers run their parts through our processes. Over [x] parts treated in our facilities since [y], [z] processes qualified in production.
The principle, no jargon
Atmospheric plasma bombards the surface with reactive species. These species clean off residual contamination and graft polar chemical functions onto the outermost molecular layers. The result: surface energy rises, the surface becomes wettable, and the adhesive can form a solid bond instead of simply resting on top. On the equipment side, this step is carried out by the systems that activate the surface just before bonding.
Results by material
| Material | Before treatment | After treatment | Effect duration | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP | 30.5 mN/m | 45 to 66 mN/m | a few days | test ink, ISO 8296 Have this material tested |
| PE | 31.6 mN/m | 45 to 66 mN/m | a few days | test ink, ISO 8296 Have this material tested |
| PET | 39.0 mN/m | 45 to 66 mN/m | a few days | test ink, ISO 8296 Have this material tested |
| Polyamide (PA 6) | 70° | 21 to 28° | a few days | goniometer, sessile drop Have this material tested |
| Carbon/epoxy composite | ≈ 109° | ≈ 32° | a few days | goniometer, sessile drop Have this material tested |
Documented order-of-magnitude figures, not our own measurements: pre-treatment values are the critical surface tensions from the Accu Dyne Test reference tables, the post-treatment range for polymers — 45 to 66 mN/m — is the one reported for atmospheric-plasma-treated polypropylene by Šrámková et al. (Polymers 13, 4173, 2021), Leroux et al. (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 328, 412, 2008) and Shaw et al. (Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 25, 065018, 2016). On polymers that already start high — polyamide, polycarbonate, epoxy composite — the gain does not read in mN/m but in contact angle: PA 6 from 70° to 21–28° (Károly et al., Polymers 10, 1380, 2018), PC from 81.5° to 38–46° (Kelar et al., Polymer Testing 67, 428, 2018), as-moulded carbon/epoxy composite from 109° to 32° (Sun et al., Polymers 11, 139, 2019). Checking is done with test inks per ISO 8296, with a goniometer for the angles. Your results depend on your exact material, its initial cleanliness and your line parameters. We verify them on your own part before any commitment.
What prepares the surface before bonding
What performs this step
Every unit below handles the same application, but not the same part: geometry, width and throughput decide. We point you to the right one after a first conversation.
Treat
DBD plasma reactor
Our signature reactor, sized for demanding geometries and for repeatability run after run.
See details
Treat
Compact plasma torch
A nozzle that blows plasma straight onto the area to be treated. Mounts on a robot arm or on a fixed station.
See details
Automate
Turnkey treatment cell
An enclosed cell with a Cartesian robot, plasma source and built-in safety interlocks.
See details VerifyTest inks
A calibrated ink: if the line spreads, the surface is above the stated value; if it beads, it is below.
See detailsWhere the process stops
A process that suited everything would truly suit nothing. Here are the cases where atmospheric plasma is not the right answer — better known before the trial than after.
- Enclosed geometries. Atmospheric plasma treats what the source can reach. Deep cavities, blind channels and inaccessible internal faces stay untreated. Usable depth observed: [x] mm.
- The effect is not permanent. Activation decays over time. On [material], [x]% of the effect remains after [y] days in shop-floor conditions. The next step has to follow the treatment closely enough.
- Heat-sensitive materials. Surface temperature stays low, but not zero: about +15°C above ambient at the treatment point. Below [y]°C of thermal resistance, a trial is required.
- Heavy contamination. Plasma removes thin-film organic contamination, not thick grease or a saturated mould-release film. Beyond [x], prior degreasing is still needed.
Integration in production
The treatment sits just before the critical step, on your existing line. Three parameters decide feasibility: line speed, width to cover, and the distance between source and part. Here are the orders of magnitude; we recompute them on your geometry.
Maximum travel speed for full effect in a single pass.
Per source. Beyond that, sources are placed side by side.
Between nozzle and surface. Tolerance on this distance: ± 5 mm around the chosen setpoint.
From first call to validated process
01
Diagnosis
You describe your part and your goal. We qualify your case and get back to you within 48h.
02
Validation
We treat a sample at our Québec facility, characterize the effect achieved, and document the process parameters.
03
Integration
We define the solution: service treatment, a Plasmino® reactor, or a custom reactor integrated directly into your line.
What it changed in production
A [client sector] in [location]
Describe the symptom seen in production and its cost: [x].
Describe the intervention: equipment, position in the line, treatment time [y].
Describe the measured gain, with the before and after figure: [z].
Case anonymised at the client’s request. Technical details available under NDA.
Where this application matters
The questions that block a decision
The ones production managers and buyers actually ask, not the ones that suit the seller.
How long does the surface stay activated after treatment?
The effect decays over time, at a rate that depends on the material and on storage conditions. On [material], we measure [x] mN/m right after treatment and [y] mN/m after [z] days in a sealed bag. In open shop-floor conditions, expect [x].
Does plasma really replace the adhesion primer?
Answer to be written with an engineer: [x].
Is it compatible with my production rate?
Maximum travel speed for full effect in a single pass is 6 to 120 m/min per source, over a width of 15 to 25 mm. Beyond that, sources are placed side by side or multiplied. We validate this calculation on your geometry before any quote.
Do I need air extraction or ozone treatment?
Yes, in most cases. Air or nitrogen plasma at atmospheric pressure generates ozone and nitrogen oxides, which must be captured at source rather than diluted into the workshop. Recommended extraction rate: [x] m³/h per source. We size this during the process study.
Which materials do not treat well?
To be completed: [x]. Name the families where the result is disappointing or unstable, and say why. A page that admits no limits reads as marketing to an engineer.
What electrical power should I plan for?
Expect 1 to 2 kW per source, at 230 V single-phase (400 V three-phase above that). Add gas supply (dry compressed air, 35 to 60 L/min per source) and extraction. The full balance is part of the integration study.
How do I check the treatment worked?
With test ink, in seconds and without instruments: the ink spreads above the target surface energy threshold and beads below it. We supply the test inks and the threshold to aim for on your material/process pair, namely 38 mN/m for printing, 40 to 44 mN/m for bonding and lamination.
What is the ballpark budget?
It depends on the width to treat, the throughput and the degree of automation. Expect [x] to [y] for an in-line integration, and [z] for a standalone station. Treatment as a service, with no capital outlay, remains an option for small runs.
Qualification checklist
The [x] points to check before changing your process: material, geometry, throughput, quality control. One page to print and take to the shop floor.
Your bond deserves a prepared surface.
An engineer’s answer within 48 business hours on what plasma can do for your surfaces. No commitment, just clear answers from an expert.
What you get
- Within 48 h : an engineer’s answer on the feasibility of your case, by email or phone.
- If the case moves forward : you send us a part, we treat it in our Quebec City facilities within [x] weeks.
- You receive : the treated part and a report of the parameters used, so you can test it yourself.
Qualification sample treatment: [x]. Shipping [y].
Response within 48 hours. No commitment. Technical discussion with an expert.