i was wondering as to how people print on hard plastic (like the letters on a keyboard or the numbers on a ruler), does it have to be done industrially or can it be a DIY job. also are there any paints that you can use on plastic, that wont scrape of easily.
Because there are many different types of plastic there are many different ways of embossing plastic with writing, etc... For the most part embossing is one of the manufacturing processes used to make a plastic part that needs writing, etc... The best you might do as DIYer is to use labels glued to plastic, or if the plastic is hard enough then it could be mechanically etched. Painting is again determined by the type plastic that you want to paint. Composites that use resins (thermoset polymers) can often be painted where as molded products (thermoplastics) cannot usually be painted successfully..
What kind of paint you use, and how you paint it, or print on it, depends a great deal on what kind of plastic is being used. In some cases, you can use a laser engraver, to etch an image into the surface of almost any type of material, whether its plastic, wood, metal, etc. Krylon makes a paint specifically for out door plastics, like mailboxes, furniture, play structures, etc. and it can be found anywhere Krylon paints are sold. Depending on what kind of DIY project you are working on, you might want to consider these. Perhaps a few more details would help us give you a more specific answer. Have Fun
