Benefits And Uses Of UV Direct-to-object Full Color Printing

What is UV Printing?

UV printing is a method of digital printing that makes use of ultraviolet light to cure ink and dry it as it is spread on the substrate. The ink is dried instantly by the Ultraviolet Lights that follow the printer Article source as it passes over each spot.

Ultraviolet printing allows for direct printing onto a wide variety of flat and 3D media. This makes it possible to customize products. This is why it is so popular among packaging solutions companies. When UV ink is printed onto a substrate, and it is exposed to ultraviolet light it immediately solidifies.

What is the difference between conventional printing and ultraviolet printing?

Inks with special solvents are used in traditional printing. They evaporate into the atmosphere when they are applied to the material. The solvents are evaporated into the air and allow the ink to absorb more easily onto the surface. Once it is vaporized, the ink leaves behind a digital picture. Spray powders can be used to speed up drying. However, this printing technique is not compatible with plastics, acrylics, foil, and other materials.

The Ultraviolet (UV), Printing Process

UV printing utilizes ultraviolet lights to dry the ink as it's printed quickly. After the printer distributes the ink onto a material's surface, UV lights follow behind, quickly drying it. Ultraviolet printing, which is more sustainable than other methods, is currently a hot topic in the printing industry.

UV ink is printed directly onto the substrate (material), turning from liquid to solid state almost instantaneously when exposed to UV light. As there's little evaporation of solvents and almost no absorption into paper, you can print virtually anything with UV inks. This technology allows for direct printing on a wide range of 3-D media. It also makes it possible to customize products quickly and easily.

UV inks dry quickly, leaving no VOCs behind. UV printing is an environmentally friendly technology that has a low carbon footprint.

LED UV Printing

Led-UV printing, the latest technology in UV printing, produces wavelengths of 385-395nm (nanometer). This light spectrum is safer, more efficient and provides superior results than traditional UV printing.

The practicality of printing with led UV is greater than that of its UV counterpart. First, unlike UV printing which requires mercury lamps to cure the inks, led UV does not require them. This makes it safer and more affordable. The UV-A spectrum is where the UV light is emitted, making it safer than traditional UV printing. It also consumes less power than conventional UV printing.

LED UV printing offers the long-lasting quality that luxury businesses strive for. Its faster drying time makes it more reliable in the FMCG and pharmaceutical industries. Customers get color enhancements on the final printed products with superior finishing that leaves a lasting impression on buyers.

LED-UV printing can be considered a sustainable and green technology. It emits no volatile organic compounds (VOC) during printing. The infrastructure required to install LED printing units is less expensive for companies, and the end result is a better product with a gloss finish.

UV Printing in Food Packaging Industry

Product personalization is a growing global industry, and digital UV printing provides an ideal way to meet this demand, boost product sales, and stay competitive.

Conventional printing was dangerous because inks from the printing plate could be transferred onto food items inside the packaging. Because these inks didn't cure and were exposed to potential hazards there was always the risk of contamination. Furthermore, the final food packaging wasn't up to standard either.

UV printing in the food packaging industry has proven a hugely successful solution--UV inks cure during printing, leaving no hazardous solvents that could contaminate what's inside. This technique is being used by more food manufacturers to create customized food products while maintaining high quality standards.

UV Printing in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Each industry is different. Different industries require different printing technologies. Every brand has its own aesthetic appeal. One type of security printing that is popular in the pharmaceutical industry is UV printing.

Uniquely, pharmaceutical labels such as medical and drug brand names can be susceptible to counterfeiting or forgery. To combat such practices, UV printing is often employed in the pharmaceutical industry along with serialization for added protection.

Pharmaceutical printing uses invisible UV inks. This has been shown to be one of most effective techniques to prevent counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical sector. Although these inks can't be seen by the naked eye, UltravioletLEDs can illuminate them. Invisible UV inks are a powerful deterrent to counterfeiters because they have unique identification numbers attached each time a pharmaceutical item is opened.

UV Printing Offers Untold Advantages

Grand Prints believes that ultraviolet printing will be the future in packaging and printing. It is economical and environmentally friendly, and its business-generating advantages are vast.

LED Print Applications: LEDs are cool and dry, with very little heat output. They can be used to print on heat-sensitive substrates like self-adhesive sheets or thin slides.

UV Printing is Faster than Traditional Printing. UV printing doesn't require you to wait for ink to dry. The photochemical process evaporates the ink, so it can be done almost immediately!

This technique is cost-effective because it takes less time to dry. As the finished product dries quickly, you can print more anytime. Aqueous coatings don't need to be applied as often as traditional inks used for packaging printing.

Bright Finish: UV printing gives you a vibrant look because the ink doesn't have to soak into the material/paper. This method can create photo-realistic prints.

The bottom line

UV printing is a new industry trend which promises to grow over the next few years and have applications in many industries. Because of its eco-friendly, cost-effective, and varied nature, UV printing will be the future in packaging and printing technology.