What is UV Printing?

UV printing is a form of digital printing that uses ultra-violet lights to dry or cure ink as it is printed. As the printer distributes ink on the surface of a material, specially designed UV lights follow close behind, “curing” or “drying” the ink instantly.

The use of digital UV printing is certainly a hot topic in the printing world right now. It is the fastest growing sector of digital inkjet printing and more sustainable than conventional printing.

UV printing technology offers users direct-printing capabilities onto a virtually limitless range of three-dimensional media allowing quick and easy product customisation. The UV ink is printed directly onto the substrate and when the inks are exposed to UV light they turn from a liquid, to a solid instantly.

UV printing technology is a growing trend in the printing industry replacing traditional screen and pad printing applications. The main difference between the two is that the UV ink is cured using a photomechanical process rather than solvent evaporation therefore eliminating VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). Printing with UV allows printers to work in a cleaner and safer environment due to the zero emission of solvents into the air. The environment also benefits through the lack of need to use solvents in the clean-up process.