How can you make a rubber stamp from a liquid? You will be surprised how many everyday objects start off as liquid polymers. Read on and learn more about polymer stamp making.
What are Polymers?
Tiny molecules strung in long repeating chains form polymers. Why the chemistry lesson? Well for one thing,Guest Posting your body is made of them. DNA – the genetic blueprint that defines people and other living things – is a polymer. Proteins and starches in the foods we eat, the wheels on our skateboards, and even the tyres on our bikes and cars are polymers. In fact, we are surrounded by polymers every day, everywhere we go. Polymers also Rubber Stamps form one of our recyclables, which is good for the environment.
Polymer Curing – How stamps are made with chemistry!
In polymer chemistry and process engineering, curing refers to the toughening or hardening of a polymer material by the cross-linking of polymer chains; this is brought about by chemical additives, ultraviolet radiation or heat. Rubber stamp polymer is supplied as a liquid and is cured using ultraviolet radiation. Although natural sunlight can cure polymer, liquid stamp polymer requires precise exposure to UV light to make rubber stamps.
Polymer Stamps – Make your own stamps without any skills whatsoever!
How many times has this been said in the past! Polymer stamp production has always attracted people trying to make a quick dollar out of the process. We have seen salespeople selling briefcase size polymer stamp machines to the unsuspecting stationery store and newsagent owner plus more recently the DIY kits sold over the internet aimed at craft people. If you are serious about stamp production you should be wary of some of the claims made about stamp making using liquid polymer.
Polymer in a bag
The most exciting development of recent is a new innovation where polymer is injected into a flat rectangular sealed bag; this new product does away with backing sheets, foam tape and coverlay film normally required for stamp production. Processing times are reduced by about 50% when using these new bags; this reduced labour cost negates the extra cost of the bagged product. The bags are available in a range of sizes to suit production demand. Polymer in a bag has also eliminated the problem of air bubbles during processing; this common objection to polymer stamp making has now been overcome.