At PolyCon 2025 in Milwaukee, Brighton Science unveiled a breakthrough approach to mold maintenance—one that makes invisible surface problems visible and measurable.
The session, “Invisible Problems, Measurable Solutions,” was led by Kaitlin Carroll, Customer Success
“Our goal was to show manufacturers how understanding and controlling surface energy can dramatically improve mold performance and product outcomes,” said Carroll. “It’s about making invisible problems visible—and solvable.”
A surface is not the same as a material. It’s just a few molecular layers thick—the atomic interface that determines how two substances interact. Those few layers are reactive, unstable, and invisible, yet they control whether a part sticks, bonds, or releases successfully.
Even minor contamination from fingerprints or airborne oils can completely alter surface behavior without any visible change.
That’s where Brighton Science’s Surface Intelligence platform comes in—providing manufacturers with visibility and control over these microscopic but critical layers.
“If you remember one thing,” Carroll noted, “remember that adhesion happens at the surface—and that surface can change instantly without you ever seeing it.”
Surface energy describes how reactive a surface is at a given moment.
However, this property is dynamic—it can change within minutes due to environmental exposure, moisture, or contamination. When that happens, product performance often fluctuates in ways that appear random but are actually predictable through measurement.
“Most manufacturers operate right at the edge of their process limits,” Carroll explained. “A small delay, temperature change, or cleaning variation can shift a surface from ‘good’ to ‘bad’—without anyone realizing it.”
Traditional tests such as tape tests remain common, but they’re highly subjective. Results vary depending on the operator, tape type, and test conditions. This inconsistency makes it nearly impossible to ensure
repeatable surface performance across batches or teams.
Quantifying surface conditions creates powerful opportunities for process improvement. With Brighton Science’s tools, manufacturers can:
“This takes the guesswork out of mold prep,” said Carroll. “We’re turning tribal knowledge into standardized, measurable best practices.”
While mold maintenance provides a clear example of how surface intelligence delivers measurable results, the same principles apply across nearly every manufacturing process that depends on surface performance.
From bonding and coating to sealing and cleaning, controlling surface energy is key to predictable, high-quality outcomes. Whether a manufacturer wants a surface to stick or to release, measuring and managing surface energy ensures consistent results.
Brighton Science’s solutions are trusted across a wide range of materials—metals, composites, ceramics, polymers, textiles, and glass—and industries including:
“Every week I get to work on something different,” Carroll said. “It’s incredible to see how universal this science is—and how much impact it has once people can measure what’s really happening on their surfaces.”
If you’re ready to turn invisible surface challenges into measurable results, Brighton Science can help.
Our team partners with manufacturers to implement data-driven surface intelligence that improves process reliability, extends tool life, and enhances product quality.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation or demo and discover how to bring surface intelligence to your production floor.