Why is plastic surface finish important?

Why is plastic surface finish important?

The overall success of a product always depends on the design. Not just how a product looks, but more importantly how it feels. A product may have a great design, but if it's uncomfortable to hold, it'll never make it to market.

Physical appeal, the quality appearance of surfaces, and a comfortable feel are all important factors that can mean the difference between a customer choosing your product over another.

Surface finish also has practical uses. The correct plastic surface finish can hide many of the machining marks left over from the injection molding process. Flow marks, weld lines, sink marks and shadow marks will be less noticeable if the surface finish or texture is correct. Injection molding surface finishes also help improve paint adhesion and other post-processing operations. Parts with a lightly textured surface accept and retain paint more readily than parts with a completely smooth surface.

A plastic surface finish will enhance the functionality of the part. A textured plastic finish will help improve grip and give the item the proper feel when held in the customer's hand. Proper surface texture is an important part of finishing a product.