Pad Printing for Injection Molders
Plastic parts don’t sit still. They warp, curve, shift, and reject most decoration methods that weren’t built for them. Unique Assembly delivers pad printing for injection molders that adapts to complex geometries and fast-moving production lines without ever losing detail or alignment.
Can We Pad Print Injection Molded Parts?
We can! Since starting operations in 1993, we have worked with injection molders and plastic manufacturers of all types and sizes. We have worked with companies in Chicago, the greater Chicagoland area, throughout Illinois, the surrounding states of Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin, and across the country as well.
We take projects from small prototypes to large volume runs and one-time projects to multiple-year contracts.
Tailored Pad Printing Services for Injection Molded Plastic Parts
We provide pad printing injection molders on parts of all shapes – flat, contoured, recessed, or textured – across medical, automotive, electrical, and consumer industries.
Whether it’s a prototype run or a multi-year contract, our process delivers clear, consistent decoration on high-volume molded components.
From electronic housings to branding promotional parts, we adapt tooling and alignment to match each form and finish.
For any project involving decorating for plastic manufacturers and injection molders, we tailor the method to meet both production and visual standards.
Brands We Work With In The Injection Molders Industry
Plastics We Print On
We are able to print on a range of plastic types, including:
Polyethylene Printing Services
Polyethylene is a thermoplastic polymer that can be utilized in a wide variety of applications depending on the type. The two most common types seen in everyday applications are high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). HDPE is a rigid material that is used for items like plastic bottles, while (LDPE) is used for things like plastic bags and films. At Unique Assembly & Decorating, we only provide printing and design services for HDPE items. Common applications for HDPE are food and beverage use (milk cartons), laundry detergent bottles, garbage bins, and cutting boards. We have years of experience helping injection molders with printing on PE parts.
ABS Printing Services
We can print on most plastic types, offering a wide range of product varieties. Our ABS, or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, is an opaque thermoplastic that does not need to be pre-treated. Relatively stiff and strong, it’s a cost-effective plastic type that is easy to print on. Additionally, it’s scratch-resistant and an easily recycled material, making it durable and better for the environment.
Polypropylene Printing Services
Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic and is one of the most commonly used plastics in the world. The uniqueness of polypropylene lives in its elasticity, allowing it to be made into very thin pieces that can bend endlessly and not break, more commonly known as living hinges. An example of this would be the plastic top to your ketchup bottle. It’s a very versatile material that maintains excellent chemical resistance, toughness, fatigue resistance and electric insulation qualities. The plastically is typically opaque and can be recycled, making it very cost-effective. Although it’s one of the more difficult plastic surfaces to print on, Unique Assembly & Decorating can effectively print on both treated and untreated polypropylene.
Polycarbonate Printing Services
Polycarbonate is a type of plastic that is naturally transparent and lightweight. As it’s virtually unbreakable and has transparency like glass, it’s typically used in applications which require material to be see-through yet durable. Examples of this include eyeglasses or even bulletproof glass. It has remarkable longevity, making it cost effective for the quality it delivers. Being heat and shatter resistant makes it a popular choice for industries such as food and beverage, among other storage uses. The quality and versatility of the plastic material make it a popular choice for signage and printed retail displays.
Polystyrene Printing Services
Polystyrene, or High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), is a versatile plastic that is low cost and easily thermoformed or fabricated. A synthetic hydrocarbon polymer, polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, brittle or rigid. When combined with various colorants, additives or other plastics, polystyrene is used to make a wide variety of consumer products; such as, appliances, electronics, automobile parts, toys, food packaging, equipment and more.
Nylon (PA) Printing Services
Nylon, also known as Clean-pak and nylon C, is used for a variety of applications from reinforcement rubber, injection molded parts and more. It is exceptionally strong, relatively resistant to abrasions and moisture absorptivity, long lasting, resistant to chemicals, elastic and easy to wash. Nylon comes in different grades and can be extruded since it has a high melting temperature, making it perfect for injection molding and 3D printing.
Acetal / Delrin® Printing Services
Delrin® is a thermoplastic material used in moving parts that require low friction and long wear life. Products made of Delrin® are tough, have high impact strength and high resistance to repeated impact. Additionally, Delrin® has high tensile strength and creep resistance, and exhibits low moisture absorption. Its chemical resistance to hydrocarbons, solvents and neutral chemicals make Delrin® ideal for many industrial applications.
Delrin® – also known as Acetal Homopolymer (POM-H/Ertacetal H®) – parts are easily machined and its strength and high abrasion resistance make it a good replacement for metal if the full strength of metal is not required.
Can You Print Or Decorate on Difficult Plastic Parts?
Our expert team specializes in pad printing for injection molders working with plastics that are notoriously difficult to decorate. Materials like polypropylene, polyethylene, Delrin, and textured or low-surface-energy resins often reject standard inks without the right treatment.
Unique Assembly uses advanced surface preparation and custom tooling to ensure strong adhesion and long-term durability across even the most stubborn substrates.
Who Benefits from Decorating for Plastic Manufacturers and Injection Molders?
Pad printing for injection holders supports more than just one type of plastic operation: it solves decorating challenges across the full spectrum of part manufacturing. We partner with teams producing high-volume runs, short-turn prototypes, and everything in between.
Our services are often used by:
- Plastic injection molders
- Thermoformers
- Blow molders
- Plastic extruders
- Insert molders
Project Gallery
Unique Assembly is able to print or decorate nearly any rigid surface – flat or cylindrical, concave or convex, raised or recessed, and painted or coated surfaces.
Experience Pad Printing for Injection Molders Through Unique Assembly
Whether you’re managing high-speed production or prototyping custom molded plastic parts, Unique Assembly delivers precise, scalable pad printing for injection molders.
We tailor every detail to match the shape, surface, and material of your components. Contact us today to request a quote or talk through your next project.
Pad Printing for Injection Molders FAQs
Can you use pad printing on high-cavitation molded parts?
Yes, our pad printing for injection molders includes automated setups that support multi-cavity tools and consistent decoration across identical parts at scale.
What file formats do you need for plastic part decoration?
For all decorating for plastic manufacturers and injection molders, we typically work with vector artwork files (AI, EPS, PDF) to ensure precision and clean registration.
Do you offer color matching for pad printing on molded parts?
We provide custom PMS color matching as part of our pad printing for injection molders, ensuring consistent branding across large and repeat orders.
Have Questions?
We have the capabilities to work with companies across the US and are excited to work with you on your upcoming project!
Contact Us (Phone and Fax)
630-241-4300Find Us
Unique Assembly and Decorating, Inc.
2550 Wisconsin Ave,
Downers Grove, IL 60515