Brite-Euram III: New laser decorating technology
The European consortium Brite-Euram III has developed complementary materials, additive and equipment technologies for laser-decorating plastics without harming the surface quality. The project was started in 1997 to
develop a new, highly flexible decoration technology for colored plastics, painted plastics and plastics finished with decorative foils. The consortium consists of DSM, the Netherlands (developing of various laser-markable thermoplastic formulations), Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Switzerland (pigments that change color under laser illumination), Kurz GmbH & Co., Germany (laser-markable hot-stamp foils), Lambda Physik, Germany (multi-wavelength generation laser), Orga Kartensystems GmbH, Germany (laser marking system) and the Universities of Cardiff in the U.K., Amsterdam in the Netherlands and the Limburg University Centre in Diepenbeek, Belgium.