UV digital printing is a special digital printing method, which uses ultraviolet light to cure, or dry adhesives, ink, or coatings. Once they hit the paper or aluminum, form board, or acrylic, actually if they fit in the printer, the technique can be applied to almost everything.
The photochemical process of drying also means the technique of UV curing. It was introduced as a method of quickly drying nail polishes used in manicures. However, we often use it in the digital printing industry where to print brochures bottles or any other small things. Actually, This process is similar to traditional printing. And the only differences between them are the use of ink, the process of drying, and high-quality products.
Comparison with traditional printing
Usually, we use solvent inks in traditional printing. This ink may evaporate and release volatile organic compounds that harm the environment. When using the traditional printing method, there is no doubt to produce heat and odor. Besides, it requires extra additional spray powers to keep the ink offsetting and drying, which may need several days. The inks are deserting into the printing medium. So the colors look washed out and faded. Not like UV printing, which can use on plastic, metal, foil, or acrylic, the traditional printing process can only use on paper and card mediums.
Reasons why UV printing machine is environmentally friendly
In UV digital printing, it uses mercury or LED lights to cure instead of heat. The specially designed high-intensity UV light closely monitors the spread of the special ink on the print material. It is impossible to release VOCs, toxic fumes, or ozone, making the technology environmentally friendly with almost a zero carbon footprint. Because the paint almost immediately changes from a solid or paste to a liquid.
The ink or coating contains mixed water of liquid monomers and photoinitiators. High-intensity light in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum during the process of curing, with a wavelength between 200 and 400 nm. And is absorbed by the photoinitiators which undergoes a chemical reaction-chemical cross linking-and causes the ink and coating to harden instantly.
Some of the overwhelming advantages of UV printing
It’s very obvious to see why UV printing has a larger advantage over traditional water and solvent-based thermal drying techniques. And why it’s going to continue growing in popularity. Not only UV inkjet printer can promote the speed of production, which means saving more time but also can reduce rejection rates. They can eliminate wet droplets. Therefore, there is no rubbing off or smudging. And since the drying is immediate, there exists no evaporation and therefore no loss of coating thickness or volume. It’s possible to get finer detailers, and sharper colors because there is no absorption onto the printing medium. Choosing UV printing over traditional printing methods can be the difference between producing a luxury product and something that feels much less superior.
Better printing performance
These inks may present more physical properties, gloss finish, better scratch, chemical, solvent, and hardness resistance, and better elasticity and the finished product also get benefits from improved length. Those are getting more durable and weather resistant, and offer resistance to fade, making them ideal for outdoor signage. The process is more cost-effective. And you can print more and more products in less time with better quality and fewer rejections. This kind of printing is more sustainable because it doesn’t emit VOCs which means less damage to the environment.
