Printing has been an art form for hundreds of years and it is used in all sorts of different industries and applications. It has now developed to include the technique of UV printing, which is set to transform the method even further due to the incredible speed and accuracy that it is able to offer.

It can be used across a wide range of mediums and materials, meaning that it is rapidly being adopted in all manner of industries in order to transform what they are now able to offer. So, what is UV printing and how does it work?

What is UV Printing?

Ultraviolet printing, or UV printing as it is known, uses special UV ink which can be cured onto a wide range of materials when placed under a UV light. It has proved to be a very popular option in recent years because of the vast number of materials that it can be applied to. It is a digital printing method that has evolved from technology behind gel nail polishes which also require curing under a UV light. Whilst the process is very similar to other traditional methods of printing, the inks that ae used and the curing process making it a very unique technique.

How does UV Printing work?

UV printing [ultraviolet printing] is a bit of a misnomer because while it does require special inks – it’s the DRYING process that’s done with UV light. UV curable ink is special because it’s made up of small polymers and monomers. When most ink dries, it can take time, and during that period, the ink dots can spread out and expand, leading to issues with quality. As the ink in UV printing is dried quickly by putting it under a UV light, the dots do not get chance to do this, making the printing process much more accurate and precise. In most cases, the printer will distribute the ink onto the chosen surface, and it will be followed by a UV light which will instantly dry the ink. The UV light turns the ink from a liquid into a solid state meaning that there is very little evaporation of solvents, and the ink does not get the opportunity to absorb into the chosen material. This not only makes the printing process a much quicker one, but it also makes the product more durable and increases the range of items that can be printed on. The lack of solvent release also makes this an odour free process and a green one with a minimal carbon footprint.

UV Printing Applications

As UV printing is so versatile, it can be applied to almost any industry. It is currently used to print everything from t-shirts to candles and beer bottles. It has proved to be very popular in the fashion industry, adorning a whole manner of garments and accessories, but has also become common place in printing on kitchenware, stationery, bottles and phone cases to name just a few things. UV printers are currently used quite frequently when it comes to labels and packaging as the speed of drying means that items can be shipped much more quickly, whilst the small size of the light source also makes it ideal for printing on cylindrical items such as bottles, cups, and tubes. Not only can UV printing handle small items and fine print well, it is also used on a much larger scale for things such as posters and signage as it can be applied to plastic, card, paper or fabric to make all manners of signs, banners and flags. One thing which has proved difficult to print in the past has been QR codes, as they require a high degree of accuracy. UV printing handles this well due to the fast drying time, meaning that they can be printed onto almost any item. Printing on materials such as glass has also proved challenging due to its delicate nature and smooth surface, but this is no problem for a UV printer and its rapid curing. Metal is another great example as its conductive properties have made it difficult to apply heat when it comes to drying. The UV lights available can avoid this problem and make metal printing a breeze. Backlit displays now also make use of UV printers as they are able to print onto film or fabric with ease. This helps to create signage that will stand out and has proved useful for things such as menus, billboards and wall art.

Choosing a UV Printer

If you are looking at embarking on UV printing for yourself, then you need to make sure that you invest in the right UV printer, like ColDesi’s UV 300H3F for example,  for your needs. First of all, you will need to consider what you are looking to print onto in order to find the right option. UV printers come in a wide variety of sizes so you need to make sure that you do not pick something which is too big or small for your needs and available space. You will need to choose from a flatbed UV printer, in which an item such as paper or card will be placed on a flat surface for printing, a roll to roll UV printer that is best suited for flexible materials such as fabric or stickers, or a rotary UV printer which is designed to work with cylindrical shapes such as bottles or mugs. A UV printer is not always the cheapest option available, so it is important to work out how much of a boost to your profitability it is capable of making in order to invest in the right machine. You should also look at the speed offered by each model to see what will work best within your business and with the medium that you are planning to use. You should make sure that you not only have the appropriate space for a UV printer but also that you have the right conditions in order to avoid interference from static and to ensure that there is sufficient ventilation to keep dust away from your printing.

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