UV printing has become increasingly popular in today’s market. Their diverse effects, high precision, flexible batch and no need for screening is what makes them so sought-after. However, what is UV printing exactly? UV printing is a form of digital printing that uses UV light to cure the ink as it is printed onto the substrate. This results in much finer detail of the print because the wet ink gets cured immediately, eliminating the possibility of the wet dots spreading on the substrate.
While UV printers can be seen as quite costly compared to other large format printers such as Eco-Solvent printers, their ability to cure the ink as soon as it is printed on the substrate is what makes them so desirable. Eco-Solvent printers, on the other hand, often require for the ink to be outgassed which can extend the production time.
Below we take a look at some pros and cons:
PROS:
1) There is a faster response and reduction of work time.
2) They are eco-friendly as they reduce pollution and produce fewer VOCs.
3) UV printers are rich in colour and produce sharp images.
4) UV-curing printers also have the capacity to print 3D textures.
5) Fast drying and direct to product printing.
CONS:
1) The UV printer’s ink does not dry without being cured first.
2) Ink spills are very difficult to clean up.
3) The cost of UV Printers are much higher than traditional wide format printers.
4) UV inks can cause irritation to the skin so it’s imperative that the operator is careful to avoid contact with skin.
5) Restricted to a matte finish.
Here are some of the various types of UV Printers:
DEDICATED FLATBED
IN-LINE, BELT STRUCTURE
HYBRID
ATYPICAL STRUCTURE
COMBO TRANSPORT BELT
Images courtesy of http: www.flaar-reports.org