A Complete Guide of UV Ink

What Is UV Ink？

UV inks are a key consumable for UV printers. UV inks are designed for a wide range of applications from plastics, glass, metal and wood to other non-traditional substrates such as clothing. UV inkjet inks are available as hard, flexible or edible inks. Some of our UV inkjet inks can be used in conjunction with ink primers to ensure longer adhesion.

What is UV ink made of?

UV ink is an ink where ultraviolet light dries or cures the ink. It was introduced in the early 1970s. However, it was only in the early 2000s that it became popular. According to industry experts, UV inks have significantly improved efficiency, production costs and output quality.

They further add that UV inks have excellent chemical and physical properties and do not require any protective varnish. In addition, their fast curing process allows the printer to save energy and produce high output levels. The most exciting part about UV inks is that they are economical and do a better job than solvent and water-based inks.

Another distinctive feature of UV inks, unlike other variants, is that they can seamlessly add intense colour. Its ability to print sharper, finer dots adds value to the product by providing printers with the opportunity to print high quality print materials.

The stability of UV inks is another major reason for their rapid worldwide popularity. As the ink only cures when exposed to high intensity UV light, the same level of viscosity can be maintained without modification or adjustment.

What is UV printing?

Now that we know what UV inks are, let's now take a look at UV printing.

UV printing is a form of digital printing that uses ultraviolet ink. As the printer distributes the ink onto the material (called the 'substrate'), a specially designed UV lamp cures and dries immediately. As the UV lamp cures any printing ink immediately, the wet ink dots do not disperse after printing, resulting in a better quality printed material. In addition, UV cured inks are resistant to sudden temperature changes and offer higher resistance to fading.

The advantages of UV printing

Here are some of the noteworthy benefits of using UV printing

The ink becomes dry as soon as it leaves the press. No time is wasted waiting for the ink to dry before folding, binding or performing other finishing activities.

UV printing is suitable for a wide range of materials, including paper and non-paper substrates. UV printing works well on synthetic paper - a common substrate for maps, menus and other moisture-resistant applications.

UV cured ink is less prone to scratches, wear or ink transfer during handling and transport. It is also fade resistant.

Prints are sharper and more vibrant. Because the ink dries so quickly, it does not diffuse or absorb into the substrate. As a result, the printed material remains crisp and clear.

The UV printing process does not cause any damage to the environment. As UV-curable inks are not solvent-based, no harmful substances evaporate into the surrounding air.

So here is a complete guide to UV inks and their importance in UV printing. If you are already using UV ink or plan to use it soon, please contact us