The Emerging Technology Of UV Printing In The Packaging And Printing Industry 50908
What is UV Printing and how can it help you?
UV printing is a type of digital printing that utilizes ultraviolet light to dry or cure the ink as it's spread on the surface. The printer will pass over the areas where ink is printed. Ultraviolet light follows closely behind and instantly "cure" or dry the ink.
Ultraviolet printing provides direct printing capabilities onto an almost endless range of flat and 3D media, enabling easy product customization. This is one reason it has become popular in packaging solutions companies; when UV ink is printed directly onto a substrate and exposed to ultraviolet light, it instantly solidifies from the liquid.
Conventional Printing Vs. Ultraviolet Printing: How Does It Work?
Inks with special solvents are used in traditional printing. They evaporate into the atmosphere when they are applied to the material. These solvents evaporate into the air, allowing ink to soak into the surface faster and leaving behind a digital image once it has dried. To expedite drying time, different spray powders may be required; furthermore, this printing technique cannot be applied to materials like plastics, acrylics, or foil.
The Ultraviolet (UV), Printing Process
When UV printing is done quickly, ultraviolet light is used to dry the ink. The ink is applied to the material by the printer. UV lights quickly dry the ink. Ultraviolet printing, which is more sustainable than other methods, is currently a hot topic in the printing industry.
UV ink can be printed directly on the substrate (material), and it transforms almost instantly from liquid to solid 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 you to print directly onto a vast array of 3-D media. This allows for quick product customization.
UV inks are quick drying and leave no VOCs behind. UV printing can be an eco-friendly technology that leaves little carbon footprint.
LED UV Printing
Led-UV printing is the latest generation of UV printing technology, producing wavelengths at 385-395nm (nanometer). Click here for info This new UV spectrum is safer than the older one and produces superior results to traditional UV printing methods.
Led UV printing is more practical than UV. First of all, unlike UV printing mercury lamps are not required for curing inks. Second, led UV is safer and cheaper than UV printing. Furthermore, its power consumption is less than that of conventional UV printing.
LED UV printing is the best option for luxury companies looking for long-lasting results. Furthermore, its faster drying time gives it greater reliability in the pharmaceutical and FMCG 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. While companies require less infrastructure for LED printing units, consumers receive a premium product with a glossy finish.
UV Printing in Food Packaging Industry
Personalization is a rapidly growing industry worldwide. Digital UV printing offers a great way to meet that demand, increase product sales and remain competitive.
Conventional printing techniques were dangerous as food items could become contaminated if ink substances were transferred from the printing plate onto 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.
This method of printing food packaging labels has proven to be a very successful one. UV inks cure while printing, so there are no hazardous solvents left that could contaminate the contents. 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
Labeling is unique for every industry. Different industries require different printing technologies. Every brand has its own aesthetic appeal. One form of security printing used in the pharmaceutical sector is UV printing.
The uniqueness of pharmaceutical labels (such as medical and drug brands) is that they are susceptible to forgery or counterfeiting. In order to combat these practices, UV printing is used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmaceutical printing utilizes invisible UV inks, which have proven to be one of the most successful techniques for preventing counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical industry. 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 argues that ultraviolet printing is the future of 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 is much quicker than conventional printing, as you don't have to wait for your ink to dry as UV ink dries during the photochemical process - it's almost instantaneous!
It is economical: This method can help you save significant money because of its quicker drying time. As the finished product dries quickly, you can print more anytime. Plus, no aqueous coatings are necessary as with traditional inks for packaging printing.
Vibrant Finish: UV printing offers a more vibrant appearance since there is no time for the ink to soak into the paper/material. This method can produce photos-realistic prints.
The Bottom Line
UV printing is an emerging industry trend that promises to expand over the coming years and find applications across various industries. It is expected to be the future of packaging technology and printing technology due to its cost-efficiency and eco-friendliness.