A method for producing a printed material includes an application step of applying a radiation-curable ink composition onto a shrink film, and a curing step of irradiating the radiation-curable ink composition on the shrink film with radiation to form a cured ink coating, thus obtaining a printed material. The radiation-curable ink composition contains one or more polymerizable compounds whose weighted average glass transition temperature is 20° C. to 70° C.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods to secure a film to a container are provided. An example sealing device utilizes film from a supply of film to seal a lid onto a container. Various sizes of containers are usable with some example sealing devices. Additional features, such as printing on the film and piercing the film for ventilation and/or insertion of a straw are contemplated. One or more markings along the film may be utilized for confirming that an approved film has been loaded into the sealing device. In response, various components or features of the sealing device may be appropriately enabled or disabled. The one or more markings may also be utilized to convey data to the sealing device regarding the installed film, such as for improved operation thereof.

Provided are an ink set including a first ink including an ethylenic unsaturated compound and a photopolymerization initiator, the first ink not including a colorant or including a white colorant, and a second ink including an ethylenic unsaturated compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colorant, wherein the proportion of the amount of a monofunctional monomer to the total amount of the ethylenic unsaturated compound included in the first ink is 95.0% by mass or more, the proportion of the amount of a monofunctional monomer to the total amount of the ethylenic unsaturated compound included in the second ink is 95.0% by mass or more, and, when the static surface tension of the first ink at 25° C. is defined as T1 and the static surface tension of the second ink at 25° C. is defined as T2, the value calculated by subtracting T1 from T2 is 1 mN/m or more, and applications of the ink set.

Article having a body portion including one or more walls surrounding an interior space. The one or more walls have an inner surface, an outer surface, a wall thickness, a transparent portion, and one or more aesthetic regions having oblong voids provided between the inner surface and the outer surface within an outermost 70% of the wall, and the one or more aesthetic regions are provided in a predetermined pattern.

A process for angular indexing of a pre-form having a body and a neck. The process includes a step of marking the neck of the pre-form which consists of production of at least one reference point on the neck of the pre-form. The process also includes a step of a heating station taking charge of the pre-form, during which the pre-form is transported along a heating course by a support unit, known as a spinner, which makes it possible to turn the pre-form around its axis, and during which the body of the pre-form is heated. The marking step is carried out during the step of taking charge, when the pre-form, supported by a spinner, travels along the heating course.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods to secure a film to a container are provided. An example sealing device utilizes film from a supply of film to seal a lid onto a container. Various sizes of containers are usable with some example sealing devices. Additional features, such as printing on the film and piercing the film for ventilation and/or insertion of a straw are contemplated. One or more markings along the film may be utilized for confirming that an approved film has been loaded into the sealing device. In response, various components or features of the sealing device may be appropriately enabled or disabled. The one or more markings may also be utilized to convey data to the sealing device regarding the installed film, such as for improved operation thereof.

An expansion apparatus includes: a first expander for irradiating with electromagnetic waves emitted from a lamp a thermal conversion layer for conversion of the electromagnetic waves to heat, to cause at least a portion of a thermal expansion layer to expand, the thermal conversion layer being laminated to a molding sheet including a base and the thermal expansion layer laminated to a first main surface of the base; and a second expander for causing expansion of a region (C) of the thermal expansion layer that is smaller in size than a region (B) of the thermal expansion layer expanded by the first expander.

Blow molded articles having a predetermined feature incorporated into the wall provided by variations in the thickness of the wall of the article corresponding to a predetermined pattern etched into the preform from which the article was formed. Also, etched preforms for making blow molded articles and methods for making such preforms and articles.

At least two profiled parts (1) are fixed to profile supports (2) that can be moved relative to each other. The profiled parts (1) are each partially melted at an end joining face (10) with a heating element (5) in a melting step and, after the heating element (5) has been removed, the partially melted joining faces (10) of the profiled parts are pressed against each other in a joining step, until the molten materials brought into contact with each other there cool down and solidify, forming a welded connection. To avoid or reduce occurrence or development of a welding bead, in a separating step that is carried out before the joining step, a mating tool (6, 29) is guided through the melt along the separating edge (9) of the limiting element (3), in order to separate the excess melt (7) that has escaped over the separating edge (9).

A method of forming a thermoplastic plastic component includes applying an amount of pigmented powder to a sheet of thermoplastic, heating the sheet of thermoplastic to a selected temperature, melting the amount of pigmented powder on the sheet of thermoplastic to form a coating, re-heating the sheet of thermoplastic to another selected temperature, positioning the sheet of thermoplastic over a pattern, and vacuum forming the sheet of thermoplastic to form the sheet of thermoplastic into the pattern.