A printed mark came back from a retail audit looking faded, and the fix was not a better printer. The ink had been chosen for the primer on that housing, the brand’s own wipe specification used one solvent, the retail chain used another, and neither requirement had been written into the artwork pack. Choosing a logo method is a decision about the surface and the test before it is a decision about the process.
This guide is part of our OEM & ODM Charger Programmes. Read the full topic guide for the decisions that come before and after this step.
Custom charger logo application: five methods and what decides between them
The surface, the durability requirement and the colour range decide the method, not the resolution of the file.
Pad printing, screen printing, laser marking, in-mould decoration and applied labels each reproduce a mark differently and each carries a setup cost that is paid once per artwork version. The method is chosen for the substrate and for the test the finished mark has to pass in service.
Two questions settle most cases: what the housing is made of, and how the mark will be treated after it leaves the factory. A mark on a matte PC/ABS housing that will be wiped with solvent belongs to a different method than the same artwork on a glossy housing that stays inside a retail carton until it is opened.
Method 1: pad printing
The default for small marks on curved or awkward surfaces.
A silicone pad transfers ink from an etched plate to the housing, which lets the mark follow a curve without distortion. Setups are modest, one plate is needed per colour, and the finish is durable on the right combination of ink and substrate. Its limits are the number of colours it carries economically and the surface energy of the plastic, which is why the primer or the flame treatment matters as much as the ink.
Method 2: screen printing
Better for flat areas, larger marks and higher ink coverage.
A mesh screen deposits a thicker ink film, which gives stronger colour and better opacity on dark housings. The thickness is also why the mark can feel raised and why an uneven or heavily curved surface is a poor match. On a flat panel or a large brand block, screen printing usually reproduces the artwork most faithfully.
Method 3: laser marking
No ink, no plate, and a mark that cannot be rubbed off.
The laser changes the surface itself, so the mark survives handling and most solvents. Colour options are limited: on most housings the result is a light or dark contrast rather than a printed colour, and some materials mark inconsistently. Because no plate is needed, laser marking suits a programme whose artwork may still change, and it is often the cheapest option at very low volumes.
Method 4: in-mould decoration and applied labels
Decoration inside the tool, or a label applied after assembly.
In-mould decoration places the graphic in the mould so the mark sits under the surface, which protects it completely and allows full-colour artwork. The cost is a printed film and a tooling modification, and the choice is made before the enclosure is finalised. Applied labels are the opposite: the cheapest way to add a mark, a serial or a regional variant to a product that is already built, with the highest exposure to peeling and the strongest argument for a durability test.
| Method | Surface fit | Durability | Colour range | Setup | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pad printing | Curved and small marks | Good on the right ink | One plate per colour | Low | Logo on a housing |
| Screen printing | Flat areas | Good, thicker film | Strong coverage | Low to moderate | Brand blocks and panels |
| Laser marking | Most flat surfaces | Very high | Contrast only | None | Changing artwork, low volume |
| In-mould decoration | Designed into the tool | Very high | Full colour | Highest | Full-colour graphics on new tools |
| Applied label | Anywhere after assembly | Lowest | Full colour, printed | Low | Serials and regional variants |
The durability test decides more than the method
State the test in the artwork pack, not after the mark fails.
Four tests cover most complaints: abrasion under a defined rub, a solvent wipe with the specific chemical the channel uses, tape adhesion, and humidity or temperature cycling for a mark that travels in a container. Write the test, the chemical and the number of cycles into the specification, because a mark that passes an alcohol wipe can still fail a citrus-based cleaner. The result belongs on the retained sample so a later production run is measured against the same condition.
Cost: setup, plates and where the minimum comes from
The setup is charged per artwork version, not per unit.
Pad and screen printing require a plate or a screen for each colour, laser marking requires a program, and in-mould decoration requires a printed film. Those are fixed costs spread across the order, which is why the per-unit cost of a logo falls sharply with volume and why a colour change mid-programme costs more than a new unit. The minimum order is usually set elsewhere in the build; the logo setup rarely creates it, but it can add a fixed charge that makes a very small first order uneconomic.
The artwork pack the factory needs
Six items, and the pack should travel with the purchase order.
The production file in vector format, the colour reference with the substrate it applies to, the mark position drawing with tolerances, the print method, the durability test with its chemical and cycle count, and the approved physical sample with its revision number. Where a brand hands over a logo file alone, the factory will choose the remaining five, and that choice is what the brand will be measuring six months later.
FAQ
Which logo method is best for a charger housing?
Pad printing is the usual answer for a small mark on a curved or textured housing, screen printing for a flat panel with strong colour, and laser marking where the mark must survive heavy handling. The final choice follows the substrate and the durability test. Pad printing suits a small mark on a curved housing, screen printing a flat panel, and laser marking where the mark must survive heavy handling.
Can the logo be applied in more than one colour?
Yes, with one plate per colour in pad or screen printing, and full colour with in-mould decoration or a printed label. Each additional colour adds a setup and, on a small order, a fixed charge that is visible in the unit price. Each additional colour adds a setup and, on a small order, a fixed charge that is visible in the unit price.
Will the mark fade with use?
It will if the ink and the substrate were not matched or the service condition was never specified. State the wipe chemical, the abrasion test and the cycle count in the artwork pack, and keep the approved sample so a later batch is checked against the same standard. State the wipe chemical, the abrasion test and the cycle count in the artwork pack, and keep the approved sample for later batches.
Does the logo change the minimum order?
Rarely by itself, because the plate is a fixed charge rather than a quantity constraint. It can make a very small order uneconomic once the setup is spread across the units, which is why the quantity decision and the marking decision are usually taken together. The plate is a fixed charge rather than a quantity constraint, so the quantity decision and the marking decision are usually taken together.
Next step
Send the logo file, the housing material and finish, the intended markets and the service condition to Wecent Group through the contact page. The reply proposes the marking method, the durability test that goes with it and the setup charge that applies to the first order. Related reading: OEM and ODM charger manufacturing, charger quality control and charger manufacturing services. External references: USB-IF documentation, IEC standards, EU CE marking rules, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, UL standards and certification and TUV testing services.
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