UV Printing: An Emerging Technology In The Packaging And Printing Industry
What is UV Printing and how can it help you?
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. The Ultraviolet lamps follow closely behind the printer as it applies ink to a material. They "dry" or cure the ink in a matter of seconds.
This technology offers direct printing capabilities onto a virtually limitless range of flat and 3D media, allowing easy and quick product customization. Ultraviolet printing is a popular choice for packaging companies. After the UV ink has been printed directly on the substrate and exposed to UV light, the liquid instantly becomes a solid.
How do you choose between Ultra-Violet and Conventional Printing?
Conventional printing uses inks with special solvents, which evaporate in the air after they are applied to the material. 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. To aid drying, spray powders might be needed. The printing process cannot be used on plastics, acrylics, and foil.
Ultra-Violet Printing (UV) - Procedure
To dry ink, UV printing uses ultraviolet lamps. The printer spreads the ink onto the material's surface. The UV light follows from behind, drying it instantly. Ultra-violet printing is a trending topic in the printing sector right now and is more sustainable than conventional printing.
This technology allows you to print directly onto virtually any type of 3-D media. It also allows for 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. As there is very little evaporation of the solvents and almost no absorption of the ink into the paper, you can print virtually on whatever stuff you want using UV inks.
The UV inks evaporate quickly and leave no VOCs in the environment. UV printing is considered safe and green.
LED UV Printing
Led-UV Printing (or Led-UV Printing) is an advanced form of UV Printing. This UV Printing technology generates wavelengths at a light spectrum between 385-395nm. This light is safer than the other. These results are far more efficient than traditional UV printing.
In many ways, printing with led UV is a better option. Firstly, unlike the UV printing technique, led UV doesn't need pearltrees.com/d6xchbm190#item501969939 mercury lamps to cure the inks, so the absence of these makes it safer and cheaper because the light emitted is in the UV-A range and the same is secured than its counterpart. Second, it consumes less power than traditional UV printing.
Every luxury business wants to achieve long-lasting quality with LED UV printing. High-quality finishing can be applied to the printed products, allowing the consumer to enhance their colors. This will leave a lasting impression on the buyer. It is a reliable printing technology that can be used in the FMCG and pharmaceutical industries due to its faster drying times.
The best part is that LED-UV printing is eco-friendly and green technology as there is no VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emission during the printing process. Companies need to spend less on infrastructure to set up LED printing units. Consumers also get a better product with a glossy, shiny finish.
UV Print Technology in Food Packaging Industry
Globally, product personalization is a huge business. Digital UV printing gives you the opportunity to satisfy this demand, increase sales and remain competitive.
Traditional printing methods can be dangerous because food could get contaminated if ink substances are transferred to food items. 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. UV inks get cured during the printing process leaving behind no harmful solvents that can contaminate the food inside the packaging. Food manufacturers all over the world are using this method for food packaging. They also maintain high-quality standards when packaging food items.
UV Printing in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Not every label is the same. Different applications will require different printing technology. Every label has its own unique aesthetics. UV printing is a form of security printing that is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Labels for pharmaceuticals include labels for medical and drug products. They differ from any other label type in that they are often subject to counterfeiting and forgery. In order to prevent such bad practices, UV printing has been widely used in the pharmaceutical sector. This can be further enhanced by 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. Invisible UV inks provide a unique identification for pharmaceutical products and prevent forgery.
UV Printing has Untold Rewards
Ultraviolet printing is undoubtedly the future of packaging and printing. Grand Prints suggests it as economical and eco-friendly and provides business-generating advantages such as:
A wider range of print applications: LEDs have a lower heat output and are cooler to the touch. They are therefore able to be used in a wider range of print applications. You can print easily on heat-sensitive substrates, such as thin slides or self-adhesive sheets.
It's faster than traditional printing: UV printing can be done much quicker than conventional printing. As the UV ink is dried during the photochemical process, you don't need to wait for it to dry. It can be done almost immediately.
Cost-Effective: You can save lots of money as it offers faster drying time. Because the finished product is able to dry faster, it can be printed more quickly. This technique does not require any aqueous coatings as is the case with conventional inks.
A vibrant finish: UV printing produces a more vivid finish than traditional printing because the ink is not allowed to soak into the material/paper. This method allows you to create photo-realistic prints.
The bottom line
UV printing is an industry trend. This industry trend will only continue to grow and find applications in many more industries. UV printing, with its eco-friendly and cost-effective nature, is certain to be the future in packaging and printing.