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[Taylor Bates]

Hi there, I need to add a part number and recycling symbol on the surface of molded parts in PP GF20 for outdoor use. I initially planned to use engraved text for aesthetic reasons, but I’m concerned about visibility and tool wear over long production runs. Would embossed text (raised on the part) be a better option here in terms of durability and legibility? The surface finish is light matte, and cycle times are tight, so I’m also considering mold complexity.

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[AngusB]

I’ve worked with glass-filled PP a lot, especially for outdoor enclosures. From my experience, embossed text usually holds up better over long production runs. There’s less tool wear, and it stays more legible as the tools age, especially in matte finishes. Engraved text can start looking shallow if there’s any flash or degraded tool definition.

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[Ronald]

If your text isn’t taller than 0.3 mm you should be safe from embossed features hanging up or causing witness marks on matte surfaces. Draft angles help too. For matte finishes, you actually get slightly better contrast with embossed features, especially with shadow from sunlight. Just make sure they’re not on complex geometry or tight corners. Keep them on flat or gently curved areas.

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[Taylor Bates]

Yes, that makes sense. I was also thinking about mold venting. Does raised text make that trickier?

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