Benefits And Uses Of UV Direct-to-Object Full-color Printing

What is UV Printing?

UV printing is a type of digital printing that uses ultraviolet light to dry or cure the ink as it gets printed on the surface. As the printer goes on to distribute the ink on the surface of a material, the Ultraviolet lights follow close behind, "drying" or "curing" the ink instantly.

This technology allows you to print directly onto virtually any type of media. Ultraviolet is used in packaging solutions companies because of this. The UV ink is printed directly onto the substrate, and it gets exposed to UV light, it instantly turns to a solid state from the liquid.

How does it work?

Inks containing special solvents evaporate in the atmosphere after being applied to the material during printing. The solvents evaporate in the air, allowing for ink to be absorbed into the material. After the solvents are removed, the ink dries and forms a digital image. The process might require different spray powders to aid drying. The printing process cannot be used on plastics, acrylics, and foil.

Ultra-Violet (UV), Printing - Procedure

The ink is dried by UV printing using ultraviolet light. The printer distributes the ink on the material's surface, and the UV lights follow from behind, drying the ink instantly. Ultraviolet printing, which is more durable than traditional printing, is a hot topic in the printing industry.

This technology offers direct printing capabilities onto a virtually limitless range of 3-D media, allowing quick and easy product customization. The UV ink is printed directly on the substrate. When exposed to UV light, the ink turns almost instantly from liquid to solid. Because there is almost no evaporation or absorption of ink in the paper, UV inks can be used to print practically any item.

Because UV inks are quick drying and do not release any VOCs into nature, UV printing can be considered green and safe for the environment. It also leaves little carbon footprint.

LED UV Printing

Led-UV printing is the advanced version of the UV Printing technology generating the wavelength at a light spectrum of 385-395nm (nanometre). This light is safer that its counterpart. The results are by far more effective as compared to traditional UV printing.

In many ways, printing with led UV is a better option. First, unlike UV printing, led UV does not require mercury lamps to cure inks. This makes it safer and more affordable. Second, the UV-A spectrum light is used to create the UV-A spectrum. The same protection is provided for the UV-B version. Secondly, the power consumption is lesser than conventional UV printing.

Luxury businesses are looking for long-lasting UV printing. The consumers can get color enhancements on the final printed products with high-quality finishing that leaves a long-lasting impression on the buyer. The faster drying time gives a better turnaround time, making it a reliable printing technology for the pharmaceutical and FMCG industries.

LED-UV printing can be considered eco-friendly because there is no volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions during the printing process. For companies to invest less in infrastructure, LED-UV printing requires less capital. Moreover, the consumers get a better quality product with a glossy and shiny finish.

UV Print Technology for Food Packaging Industry

Personalization is big business worldwide and digital UV printing can help you meet that demand, increase your product sales, and remain competitive.

The conventional print methods were harmful as there were high chances of food getting contaminated when the ink substances get transferred to food items inside the packaging. These inks could not be cured and were always susceptible to contamination. The final packaging of the food was also not up to standard.

It has proven to be very successful in UV printing food packaging. The UV inks are cured during printing, leaving behind no solvents that could contaminate food. More and more food manufacturers across the globe have started using this technique for food packaging while maintaining high-quality standards when it comes to the customized packaging of food items.

UV Printing in Pharmaceutical Industry

Every label is different. Different applications call for different printing technologies. Every label has its own unique aesthetics. A form of security printing, UV printing, is used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry.

These labels can include medical and drug labels. They differ from any other label type in that they are often subject to counterfeiting and forgery. The pharmaceutical industry uses UV printing to protect itself against these bad practices. It can also be used with serialization.

Pharmaceutical printing uses invisible UV inks. This is one of the best ways to stop counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical sector. These inks can't be seen by the naked eye but can still be seen when UltravioletLEDs are used. These invisible UV inks are used to identify pharmaceutical products and prevent them from being counterfeited.

UV Printing: Untold Benefits

Ultraviolet printing is undoubtedly the future of packaging and printing. As suggested by Grand Prints, it is Full Color UV Printed Products Cheap economical and ecological and offers business-generating benefits such as:

A wider range of print applications: LEDs have a lower heat output and are cooler to the touch. This is why they have a broader scope of print applications. Printing on heat-sensitive substrates like self-adhesive sheets or thin slides is possible.

Faster than Conventional Printing. UV printing is faster than conventional printing. The ink doesn't dry in time because it dries during the photochemical process. It's almost instantaneous.

It is cost-effective: This product offers a faster drying time and can help you save a lot of money. Because the finished product is able to dry faster, it can be printed more quickly. Also, when packaging is printed using this technique, no aqueous coatings are required as in the case of conventional inks.

Vibrant Finish: UV printing gives you a brighter finish. The UV lights don't allow ink to soak into paper/material. This technique allows for photo-realistic printing.

The bottom line

UV printing is a growing industry trend. This industry trend will only continue to grow and find applications in many more industries. With its cost-effectiveness and Eco-friendliness, along with its diverse nature, UV printing is surely the future of the packaging and printing industry.