The nature of powder flow and its effect on particle deposition in rotationally molded parts were considered in this work. Experiments were carried out to observe the effects of various parameters, such as particle characteristics and operating conditions, on the deposition patterns of polyethylene powders and micropellets. The results indicate that the polymeric powders were cohesive enough to prevent size segregation at ambient temperature; however, segregation occurred when particles that had a smooth surface and regular shape were used. During processing, however, a new phenomenon of reverse cohesive segregation was observed. The results showed that the final deposition patterns are controlled primarily by the initial segregation patterns, as well as by the heating rate and rotation speed, which affect the evolution of adhesive forces between particles during heating and melt deposition process. An order-of-magnitude analysis was conducted to evaluate the development of cohesive forces between particles, and to estimate their effects on the movement of particles. This study provides a better understanding of the flow characteristics of polymer particles during the rotational molding process, which is very important in the development of techniques for fabricating composites and multilayered products. (C) 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.