Pad printing or hot stamping
- Pad printing: multi-color logos and curves
- Hot stamping: foil color or metallic look on a reachable face
- Both sit on the surface and can wear under wipe-down
Decision guide
Pad Printing vs Laser Etching vs Hot Stamping: Pick the Mark Before Steel
Pad printing lays ink. Laser etching marks the plastic. Hot stamping leaves foil where a die touches. Pick the mark before the cavity is cut.
Decision guide
What is pad printing vs laser etching vs hot stamping?
This page picks a post-mold mark. It does not replace the three process pages.
Pad printing transfers ink with a silicone pad. It reaches curves and small logos that a flat die cannot hit. See the pad printing process page for ink and artwork files.
Laser etching marks the plastic itself. One color is typical. Use it when the mark must stay after ink would wear.
Hot stamping bonds foil where a heated die touches. It is dry when the die lifts. Recessed faces the die cannot meet are a poor fit.
In-mold labeling is a different route. Use that process page when the graphic must become the wall, not a post-mold mark.
Route split
What each mark is for
Choose by wear, color count, and whether a die or pad can reach the face.
Laser etching
- The mark sits in the plastic rather than on it
- Better when one color is enough and wear is the job
- Not a substitute for a multi-color logo on a dome
Callouts
How to pick the first quote route
Use this table to pick one mark per face. Process pages keep machinery and file-format detail.
| Need on the face | First route to quote | What to attach |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-color logo on a curve | Pad printing | Vector art and the print zone on the CAD |
| Metallic or foil look on a flat reachable face | Hot stamping | Foil color and the stamp face on the CAD |
| Wear-safe one-color mark | Laser etching | The string or symbol and whether it is unique per part |
| Graphic that must become the wall | In-mold labeling, not this trio | Film art and the decorated faces |
RFQ
Mark fields to put on the drawing
A mark is a face-level specification. A title-block note is how gates land on the logo.
Mark each decorated face on the CAD.
State pad print, laser etch, hot stamp, or undecided.
Attach vector art or a placeholder and the revision cadence.
Name wipe, wear, or outdoor needs in words, not unapproved test hours.
Ask DFM whether the mark zone conflicts with gate or ejector keep-out.
Continue exploring
Related comparisons and glossary links
Decision guides and deeper process pages.
Compare hub
All comparison guides.
Compare hubPad printing
Ink on curves and small logos after the part is molded.
Pad printingLaser etching
A mark in the plastic when one color is enough.
Laser etchingHot stamping
Foil where a heated die can reach the face.
Hot stampingIn-mold labeling
When the graphic must become the wall, not a post-mold mark.
In-mold labelingDesign for Manufacturing
Reviewers can flag keep-out before steel is cut.
Design for ManufacturingFAQ
Common questions
How is hot stamping different from pad printing?
Hot stamping leaves foil where a heated die touches. Pad printing leaves ink from a silicone pad, including on curves and recesses the die cannot reach.
When should the mark be laser etching instead of pad printing?
When the mark must sit in the plastic rather than on it, and one color is enough. Multi-color logos on a curve stay with pad printing.
Can one part mix pad print and laser etch?
Yes. A worn serial can be laser etched while a color logo is pad printed. State both routes on the RFQ so fixturing quotes correctly.
Is pad printing durable enough for a handheld housing?
For many indoor handheld devices with moderate handling, pad printing is enough. Faces that see frequent abrasive wipes often push teams toward laser etching or a tougher route named on the RFQ.
What files should I upload if decoration is still open?
Upload CAD, mark the faces, and say undecided. Reviewers can flag gate and ejector conflicts before you lock ink, foil, or laser.
Next step
Name the mark before steel is cut
If the decoration route is still open, upload CAD anyway so reviewers can flag keep-out. Name pad print, laser etch, or hot stamp when you know them. Attach art if you have it.