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View Application Guide →Doming Resin Solution Center
Doming Resin for 3D Stickers, Labels, and Decals
Choose the right epoxy or polyurethane resin for your product material, dome height, use environment and doming machine setup.
Robota supports resin selection, sample testing and machine setup for domed decals, labels, nameplates, badges and keychains.
Polyurethane Resin
For outdoor, flexible or high-contact products after sample testing
Soft Epoxy Resin
For clear indoor labels and rigid products after compatibility testing
Quick Choice
Start With Your Product Situation
Resin selection should start from product use, not only from price or hardness.
Indoor rigid labels
A practical first sample for many rigid indoor decals, labels and nameplates, provided the final ink, coating and surface pass adhesion and curing checks.
Outdoor decals or badges
Start with a PU sample when UV, moisture, flexibility or repeated handling matters; confirm it with the final printed construction and exposure conditions.
Products that bend or use curved surfaces
Curvature alone does not decide the resin. Test how the complete product bends, how the surface is coated and whether the cured dome remains bonded at the edges.
Adhesion, bubbles, yellowing or incomplete cure
Check the substrate, ink or coating, A/B ratio, moisture, degassing, resin temperature and cure conditions together.
Material Basics
What Is Doming Resin?
Doming resin is a clear two-component resin applied over printed labels, decals, badges or nameplates to create a raised 3D surface. The resin improves gloss, protects printed graphics and gives the product a thicker, premium appearance.
- Matches material, ink, coating, edge design and use environment.
- Needs stable A/B mixing, viscosity, dome height and curing control.
- Should be confirmed with real sample testing before machine purchase.
Robota Resin Options
Available Doming Resin Products
These are concrete resin products for domed sticker and label production. The final choice should still be validated with samples.
PU Resin
618AB-18 Polyurethane Doming Resin
A two-component polyurethane resin to test for flexible, environmentally exposed or high-contact domed products where impact, bending or UV conditions matter.
- A candidate for flexible, outdoor or high-contact applications after full-sample testing
- Confirm moisture control, degassing, edge behavior and adhesion on the final printed product
- 618AB-18 reference: about 24 hours at 25°C, or about 2–4 hours with 60–80°C heat curing
Epoxy Resin
308AB-3S1 Soft Epoxy Doming Resin
A soft epoxy doming resin for clear, glossy labels, decals and nameplates, primarily evaluated for rigid indoor or limited-exposure applications.
- A practical starting point for many rigid indoor domed labels and decals
- Confirm clarity, hardness, edge flow and adhesion on the final ink, coating or laminate
- 308AB-3S1 reference: initial cure in about 10–12 hours and final cure in about 18 hours at room temperature
Selection Table
Epoxy vs Polyurethane Doming Resin
Use this table to choose which resin family to test first. Final output depends on the actual formulation, substrate, print system, mixing, moisture control, dome geometry and cure conditions.
| Decision Factor | Epoxy Doming Resin | Polyurethane Doming Resin |
|---|---|---|
| Practical First Test | Rigid indoor decals, labels and nameplates with limited environmental exposure | Flexible, high-contact or environmentally exposed products where bending, impact, UV or moisture matters |
| Flexibility / Hardness | Depends on the formulation; the 308AB-3S1 option is a soft epoxy, not a rule for every epoxy | Often selected when more flexibility or impact tolerance is required, subject to formulation and sample testing |
| Outdoor / UV Decision | Do not assume outdoor stability; test discoloration, adhesion and hardness under the expected exposure | Often the first family to test for outdoor use, but the complete product still needs UV, heat, moisture and wash validation |
| Process Sensitivity | Confirm A/B ratio, mixing, bubbles, viscosity, dome height and cure on the final printed surface | Moisture, bubbles, mixing and cure control can be more demanding; validate usable output on real samples |
| Typical Failure Risk | Discoloration outdoors, unsuitable hardness, cracking under flex or poor adhesion | Bubbles, moisture-related defects, incomplete cure or unsuitable surface behavior |
| Reference Cure on This Page | 308AB-3S1: initial cure about 10–12 h; final cure about 18 h at room temperature | 618AB-18: about 24 h at 25°C, or about 2–4 h at 60–80°C |
| Final Decision Method | Compare the exact resin products on the final substrate, ink or coating, edge design, target dome height and real use environment. Do not choose from the family name alone. | |
Before You Buy
Sample Testing Workflow Before Resin Selection
Use the datasheet to prepare a first test, then confirm the resin on the actual printed product before fixing machine parameters or production controls.
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Send product samples
Share material, print/coating, size, edge design, dome height target and current resin issues.
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Test adhesion and resin flow
Check surface adhesion, edge control, bubble behavior, viscosity and curing on real samples.
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Confirm resin type
Compare epoxy and polyurethane based on clarity, flexibility, UV exposure, curing stability, acceptable reject rate and final appearance.
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Confirm production controls
Confirm A/B ratio, degassing, resin temperature, nozzle and hose conditions, dispensing volume, dome height and cure method. Choose the positioning system separately from layout repeatability.
Production Risk
Problems the Right Resin Should Reduce
Use these symptoms as a first diagnostic. A resin change helps only when the root cause is the formulation rather than mixing, moisture, surface preparation, dispensing or curing.
Air bubbles
Bubbles usually come from mixing, moisture, viscosity or trapped air in the hose.
Solution:
First check A/B ratio, mixing method, moisture, hose air and degassing; then compare viscosity or resin formulation if bubbles remain.
Yellowing outdoors
Some products look clear at first but yellow after UV exposure.
Solution:
Test a suitable PU formulation and the complete printed product under the expected UV, heat and moisture conditions; do not infer service life from initial clarity.
Poor adhesion
Ink, coating, dust or surface oil can cause resin peeling or cloudy edges.
Solution:
First clean and document the exact substrate, ink, coating or laminate, then run adhesion and cure checks before changing machine settings.
Overflow or edge failure
Wrong viscosity or dome height can make resin run past the product edge.
Solution:
First check viscosity, dispensed volume, target dome height, edge distance and path offset on the real product.
Unstable curing
Temperature, humidity and mixing ratio can create soft spots or tacky surfaces.
Solution:
First verify A/B ratio, resin condition, temperature, humidity and cure schedule. Add tank or hose heating only when the formulation and test results require it.
Production Method
How Doming Resin Enters the Production Process
The resin chemistry does not change because motion becomes automatic. What changes is how consistently products are loaded, positioned, dispensed and moved into curing.
Manual sample or small batch
Measure and mix the selected A/B resin, degas when test results require it, then dispense by syringe or PJ180 while validating adhesion, bubbles, edge control and cure on changing samples.
Automatic sheet production
Load and condition the selected resin, purge the fluid path, set volume and nozzle height, then validate a sample sheet before repeating the saved path. Positioning automation does not replace resin-process control.
Machine Match
How Resin Process Requirements Carry Across Machine Types
PJ180, 3-axis and CCD configurations can use the same resin metering and mixing principle. Choose the positioning method by layout repeatability; validate resin, bubbles and curing as a separate process decision.
Manual Product Movement
Semi-Auto Doming Machine
PJ180 suits sample validation and changing low-volume work. The operator moves or guides the product while the machine meters and mixes the selected resin.
- Same A/B resin decision
- Operator-controlled product movement
- Useful before automation is justified
Saved-Path Product Movement
3-Axis Automatic Doming Machine
A desktop 3-axis platform or DJ771 repeats a programmed path on stable sheets. It improves movement consistency but does not change the resin cure or remove bubble-control requirements.
- Resin process remains separately validated
- Repeat paths for stable layouts
- Desktop or floor-standing by size and output target
Vision-Corrected Product Position
CCD Vision-Guided Doming Machine
SJ4060 uses camera recognition when print shift, free placement or mixed positions remain variable. Vision corrects location; it does not correct A/B ratio, moisture, bubbles or curing.
- Camera correction for position variation
- Same resin validation still required
- CCD is not selected by resin type
Quote Inputs
What to Provide for a Resin Recommendation
A good resin recommendation needs sample details, not just a product name. This helps Robota recommend resin, machine and process parameters together.
Submit Product Details- Material: PVC, PET, PC, metal, acrylic, ABS or other substrate
- Printed surface: ink, coating, lamination or brushed metal finish
- Use environment: indoor, outdoor, flexible, curved, UV or chemical exposure
- Product size, edge design, target dome height and monthly volume
- Current problems: bubbles, yellowing, poor adhesion, overflow or slow curing
- Machine type, resin type or production videos if you already have a process
Application Paths
Choose Resin by Product Application
Start from the product you want to produce, then compare resin and machine setup for that application.
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View Application Guide →Domed Nameplates
3
View Application Guide →Domed Industrial Labels
4
View Application Guide →Automotive Emblems
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View Application Guide →Domed Badges
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View Application Guide →Domed Keychains
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View Application Guide →Domed Promotional Products
FAQ
Doming Resin Selection FAQs
These answers focus on resin selection and production setup before purchase.
Which resin is better for domed stickers, epoxy or polyurethane?
Neither family is always better. Start with epoxy for many rigid indoor products and test a suitable polyurethane formulation when flexibility, impact, UV, moisture or repeated handling matters. The final choice must be confirmed on the exact substrate, ink or coating, edge design and cure conditions.
Will doming resin turn yellow outdoors?
It depends on the exact formulation and exposure. Do not judge outdoor life from initial clarity. Test a suitable resin formulation with the final printed product under the expected UV, heat and moisture conditions, and use aging results to approve the process.
Why do bubbles appear in resin doming?
Bubbles can come from mixing, moisture, viscosity, trapped air in the hose, fast dispensing or poor degassing. The solution may include vacuum degassing, tank or hose heating, lower speed or different resin viscosity.
Can one resin be used for decals, labels, badges and nameplates?
Sometimes, but the same resin may behave differently on different materials, inks and coatings. Test each important product family before committing to one resin for all applications.
Do I need vacuum degassing for doming resin?
Not every process needs it, but degassing is useful when bubbles are visible, resin viscosity is high, output requirements are strict or the product surface makes small bubbles easy to see.