Surface Treatment

Surface treatment is a cornerstone of modern manufacturing. Whether preparing plastics for printing, metals for painting, or composites for bonding, the goal is to enhance surface energy and remove contaminants. Without proper treatment, coatings and adhesives may fail to adhere, leading to costly defects.
Techniques vary depending on the substrate. Plasma and corona treatments introduce polar groups to polymer surfaces, increasing surface energy. Chemical etching removes oxides and contaminants from metals. Mechanical abrasion roughens surfaces to improve mechanical interlocking.
DataPhysics Instruments allow manufacturers to quantify these changes. The OCA series measures contact angles before and after treatment, providing direct evidence of improved wettability. The DCAT tensiometer evaluates surface tension and interfacial tension, offering insights into how treatments affect liquid-substrate interactions. The HGC humidity generator enables testing under controlled environmental conditions, ensuring treatments remain effective in real-world scenarios.
In R&D, these tools help optimize treatment parameters, such as plasma exposure time or chemical concentration. In production, they support quality assurance by providing reproducible, automated measurements that can be integrated into workflows. This ensures consistency across batches and compliance with industry standards.
Surface treatment is not just a preparatory step—it is a critical process that determines the success of coatings, adhesives, and printing. By providing precise, reproducible data, DataPhysics Instruments empower manufacturers to validate and optimize treatments, driving reliability and innovation.