Ink Cup Pad Printing Machine

Ink Cup Pad Printing Machine

Pad printing is a process that involves a soft silicone pad, an inked image and the product to be printed. It is a very versatile printing technique, and there are several types of pad printers on the market. The most common are the closed ink cup pad printing machine, and they can be used to print a variety of different products, including medical devices like catheters. The newer sealed cup machines are much faster than traditional open ink well systems and offer better ink management, which reduces waste and smudges.

The newer sealed ink cup machine uses a single, sealed container to hold the ink supply, flood bar and doctor blade all in one. This is usually a ceramic ring, and it has a highly polished working surface that seals against the printing plate (known as a “cliche"). The etching on the cliche plate holds the desired image to be printed, and the ink cup seals over this area to expose the etched ink image to the transfer pad. The etched ink image on the plate becomes wet, and then the flood bar covers it again to prevent air from touching the ink image. This process also removes any excess ink from the image, which allows for a clean and precise ink transfer.

As the etching on the plate becomes wet, the ink is transferred to the transfer pad. The pad's flexibility allows it to adhere to curved or irregular surfaces. It then applies the image to the substrate, which can be either a plastic or metal product. After the transfer, the pad is then removed and returned to its home position, completing one print cycle.

Once the ink is transferred to the pad, it must then dry and cure to ensure that the final product will have good durability. This may be accomplished through air drying, UV curing or heat curing. Quality control checks can also be performed at this stage.

The most important factors when selecting a pad are the image size, complexity and print volume considerations. Ink selection is also crucial. Boston Industrial Solutions offers a wide range of standard colors as well as custom color matching services.

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