There are 7 main types of Decoration that I have experience with these are:

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• IML/IMD

  • both can be used for injected plastic components, but IMD is more complex and expensive than IML

  • IMD is useful for products with long life such as phone casings while IML is useful for food containers

  • both allow 3D patterns to be added to surfaces but once molded it cannot be reworked

• Water Transfer Printing

  • patterns can be applied to any 3D surface through the application of a dissolvable film in a pool of water

  • used only many 3D-shaped products such as helmets or fairings

  • great for 3D surfaces with high resistance, however, each piece is unique so the cost is high and repeatability is not exact

• Laser Etching/Marking/Engraving

  • utilizing a laser to burn off surface layers, material, and desired thickness determines the process used

  • used on many products such as plastic phone cases, metal laptop casings, or wooden bowls

  • requires a fixture to correctly position material and if needed hold it in position

  • not suitable for any material and requires extra waste material for trial optimization that will not be usable

• Pad Printing

  • uses a flexible silicone 3D pad that compresses to transfer 2D artwork via paint/ink onto a 3D shape

  • easily automated but requires heat curing to set

  • used on bottles, electronic housings, or metal enclosures to name but a few

  • relatively affordable, flexible with colors, and with good reliability it is widely used

• Silkscreen Printing

  • only able to print on 2D surfaces it builds up multiple layers of paint and is heat cured to set​

  • used on fabric panels and flat surfaces such as phone cases

  • cheap to produce but can have poor yield and poor reliability, suitable for low-level production

• Heat Press

  • used on soft materials it is achieved using a heated metal tool (normally brass), pressure, and time
    each pressed material requires different settings and trials to achieve an optimized result

  • Embossing/Debossing

    • heated tool is pressed onto the material via a protective sacrificial layer to protect the material 

    • used on Soft Goods, the size is limited as the tool can be easily damaged and too much pressure or heat damages the material

  •  Color/Foil/Silicone/Foam Transfer

    • utilizes the same method as embossing/debossing but an additional layer is placed onto the final product surface​

    • the transfer is made of layers of the chosen transfer material and bonded through heat

    • adding the transfer can have a much higher defect rate and requires lower reliability standards

• Embroidery​​

  • used on soft materials and utilizing stitching to create a pattern on the surface

  • requires trial and error to optimize the selection of needles, threads, and machines suitable for the thickness of the material selected

  • good reliability but high cost and limited detail as it is limited by the processing method

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The best method depends on the design and its final use along with what material is desired, each method is useful in its own way