Discover a Revolutionary Way to UV Printing

UV printing is a special form of digital printing that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to cure or dry the UV ink immediately after it is applied to the prepared substrate. The UV printing process is unique. Materials can include paper as well as any other material that the printer can accept. This can be foam board, aluminum or acrylic. When the UV ink is applied to the substrate, a special UV light within the printer is immediately directed onto the substrate above the ink, drying the ink and bonding it to the substrate.

The UV printing process was originally developed for gel nail polish. After applying gel nail polish, UV light is applied to harden the surface of the nail. The result is a quick-drying, long-lasting, flawless manicure. However, the benefits of UV applications eventually expanded to include commercial and industrial markets. This forms the foundation of UV printing services and the associated printing industry. Today, it’s used to create everything from flyers, brochures, billboards, screen printing, and even bottle labels. The UV printing process is similar to conventional printing, but the inks used and the drying/curing process are different.

What is UV Printing

Conventional printing involves applying a solvent ink to a substrate and using heat to cure the ink. Solvent-based inks can evaporate and spread on substrate surfaces before drying, releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The heat used to cure the solvent ink on the substrate creates an unpleasant odor. Additionally, a spray powder is used to prevent the ink from settling and drying, and the entire process can take several days. Additionally, solvent inks can be absorbed into the material, causing color fading. Traditional printing has generally been limited to paper and similar materials due to the nature of the printing press. Not for use on other materials such as metal, plastic, glass or acrylic.

UV printing uses a special UV ink. Instead of heat, it uses high-intensity LED ultraviolet light to cure the ink on the printed media. Ultraviolet light follows the ink closely as it spreads over the substrate, so the ink dries instantly regardless of the material used. The ink dries almost instantly, so it doesn’t evaporate or spread on the substrate you’re printing on. Furthermore, no VOCs, ozone or toxic gases are released into the air. This feature will be of particular interest to companies that value the sustainability of their printing processes.

In addition to the fast drying and environmental friendliness of UV printing, this type of UV printing process and associated form of ink transfer can also be used on a wide variety of substrates, including paper, plastic, foil, acrylic, and foam.

Advantages of UV Printing

UV printing has many advantages over conventional printing. Notable benefits include:

• Improved efficiency.
• hours saved.
• high speed output. The
• UV printer cures the ink, improving turnaround time.
• Increased durability: UV curable ink greatly reduces damage such as scratches and stains.
• Enhanced Vividness: Colors in UV curable inks are much more vivid than those printed with traditional printing processes.
• Quick drying with UV light. No need to wait hours for the ink to dry or cure. Thanks to
• UV varnish and UV inks, you get more consistent, high-quality results. 
• The UV ink and UV curing process together emit very little VOC and are environmentally friendly. The
• UV printer can print on almost any material thanks to the UV light, giving you more flexibility.

With so many advantages, it’s easy to understand why UV LED printing has become so popular and why UV printers are so widely used in commercial and industrial markets.

What can the UV printer do? 

What kind of products can you make? Virtually anything you can imagine! Below are just a few examples of custom items that can be created using a UV printer. It is popular with different types of businesses for use on their merchandise.

• Clothing such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets
• Handbags, purses, rucksacks, briefcases, wallets, etc.
• Glassware, mugs, cups, water bottles, thermoses.
• Linens such as pillowcases, sheets, blankets and quilts.
• Christmas ornaments, customized plastic or glass Easter eggs, Halloween treat buckets and more.
• Customized stationery including pens, pencils, crayons and markers.
• Mobile phone, laptop and tablet cases.
• Custom Computer Mice and Mouse Pads.
• notebooks, journals, diaries, book covers, bookmarks.
• Candles, candlesticks and lanterns.
• Switch plates and socket covers, lamp shades, night lights, etc.
• Keychains, keys and lanyards.
• beer bottles, wine bottles and bottle openers.
• Flags, welcome mats, banners, etc. 

These are examples of products that can be produced with the UV printer. Basically, if you can image it, you can make it with a UV printer. Pleasant Acrylic is one of the leading acrylic fabricator in Dubai who is best in acrylic uv printing.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why is the flatbed printer so expensive?

UV printing has one drawback and that is cost. Flatbed UV printers can be very expensive, but why? There are many reasons. The LED lights used to emit the UV spectrum that cures the ink are very expensive to manufacture. Additionally, specialty inks that are applied to substrates as part of printing are costly to manufacture, as are many of the advanced technologies included in printers. A UV printer is worth its weight in gold, so to speak. However, given all the advantages UV printers offer, the high cost is understandable. If you plan to use this type of printer for business purposes, it’s worth the investment and the accessibility of the menu means you don’t have to be an expert to get started with UV printing. 

Can you do UV printing?

If you don’t have access to an expensive UV printer, check with your local digital print shop to see if they offer a UV printing service. However, not all digital printers have UV printers. If you only offer paper printing or banner printing, you probably only own a large format printer. But if you’re serving signage or any of the above use cases, chances are you own a UV printer.

How long does UV printing last?

UV prints last at least 2 years without fading.