Everwide newsletter No.450

Experiment § Experiment § Solvent-free UV-cured primer for plastic parts

Due to the growing preference for metallic high-gloss mirror effects in decoration, hot stamping technology has become increasingly widespread in plastic part decoration. The formal term for hot stamping is heat transfer printing, also known as hot stamping or gold stamping. The process involves applying specific temperature and pressure, using a hot stamping plate on a hot stamping machine to press the plastic part. This transfers the gold foil (typically aluminum foil) onto the surface of the substrate, creating a distinctive metallic effect. To respond to the ESG trend and meet the demand in the plastic part hot stamping decoration market, we have developed an eco-friendly plastic primer, GC407. This product is solvent-free, with 100% solid content and excellent leveling properties. After screen printing on plastic parts, it undergoes UV curing with energy levels of 300–500 mJ/cm². Once cured, the workpiece surface remains smooth, dry, and non-sticky. Aluminum foil is applied, and after 80°C hot pressing, the gold stamping is completed (Figure 1). The primer, after gold stamping, passes a heat resistance crack test at 80–90°C for 25 minutes (Figure 2), and the adhesion strength maintains a 5B rating, demonstrating excellent adhesion between the gold stamping layer and the primer (Figure 3). We welcome interested parties to contact us.

— Author: Mrs Hsiao-Yi Hsieh

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Activity § Beach cleanup and visit to an organic farm

In the warm weather, we held the beach cleanup activity for the first half of the year. In addition to Everwide employees and their families, we also invited a local welfare organization to join. This time, we added a fun competition to the activity, hoping participants would enjoy the spirit of teamwork while cleaning the beach. After the cleanup, everyone goes to Honey Garden Organic Farm to enjoy lunch. After lunch, the farm staff introduced some interesting facts about cherry tomatoes and shared tips on picking them. After that, we started picking the tomatoes. Everyone returned home filled with joy and a sense of fulfillment.

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Knowledge § Do polymer materials exhibit linear elastic fracture mechanics?

Linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) describes materials that follow Hooke's Law in their stress-strain behavior. Metals, ceramics, and glass exhibit this before fracture. Polymers also follow Hooke's Law at small strains, but as strain increases, molecular chains slide and plastically deform, causing the stress-strain relationship to become nonlinear. At this point, the material no longer behaves elastically.

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Living §  Living § Language Learning During Travels in Qin

In early 2024, as I heard the boarding announcement, I boarded the final leg of my journey at Abu Dhabi Airport, with my destination being Ireland in Western Europe. As the plane landed, my six-month study trip officially began. Ireland, being an English-speaking country, had the primary goal of improving my English skills. The biggest challenge at the start was understanding various accents. For example, the French often drop the 'H' sound at the beginning of words, so "Hobby" might sound like "obby." Therefore, correct pronunciation is crucial for effective communication. Occasionally, I would also experience misunderstandings due to my Chinese-accented pronunciation, leading to moments of miscommunication. Interestingly, among all the accents, many of my friends from different countries and I agreed that the Irish accent was the hardest to understand. However, the Irish are aware that we are foreigners, so they slow down their speech and articulate more clearly, making it easier for us to understand. Language learning is not easy. From my experience, the fastest way to improve is to practice speaking with someone at a higher level and actively engage with locals. This method not only enhances listening skills but also helps you learn more vocabulary and expressions through conversation. Through communication, you will also become clearer on how to express your ideas more precisely. Furthermore, the most important aspect of language learning is to be brave and speak, even if you make mistakes, because the memories gained from learning through mistakes are the most memorable.

— Author: Mr. Huang Yixun