By Cassandra Balentine
Part 2 of 4
Smaller format UV flatbeds are gaining in popularity. Due to the range of substrates and items they can print on, the ink set is critical. While the UV inks offered in these machines doesn’t differ all that much—if at all—from traditional wide format UV inks, there are several factors to consider.
Staying Strong
Paul Green, research and development, OmniPrint International believes UV inks are good for hard surfaces that need a strong bond.
David Conrad, director, sales and marketing, Mutoh America, Inc. notes that the chemistry of the inks found in a smaller flatbed printer are similar to those found in a traditional wide format flatbed printer, but the lamps used by the bigger wide format devices are much larger and more intense.
Quick curing capabilities and the ability of UV LED ink to print on multiple substrates and different surfaces make it an ideal printer and ink for a variety of printing output. “While some surfaces may require a primer to improve adhesion, for the most part the UV LED ink is very reliable,” says Conrad.
Some vendors provide specifics of their UV inks for smaller format flatbed devices below.
For Marabu North America UltraJet inks, adhesion, especially to traditionally difficult substrates, is the most significant advantage in most applications, says Chuck McGettrick, sales manager, digital inks, Marabu. Marabu UltraJet inks are available for tabletop flatbed printers for Engineered Printing Solutions.
Mimaki USA, Inc. flatbed printers use UV-curable inks with different properties depending on the surface and final applications. Its LH-100 inks are designed for printing onto hard surfaces and have a high scratch/chemical resistance. LUS-120 inks are a more flexible offering, featuring up to 170 percent elongation after curing. They are well suited for plastics and vinyl films. LUS-150 inks offer a good balance of adhesion, resistance, and flexibility for a range of substrates, according to Hope. LUS-350 inks are designed specifically for thermoforming applications, offering up to 350 percent elongation. Outside of standard CMYK, some ink sets include light cyan, light magenta, white, clear, and jettable primer.
Roland DGA Corporation offers multiple ECO-UV ink sets for each of its flatbed models. “The uniqueness of gloss and white creates stylized effects of personalization and customization. Not only does the gloss and white allow for special effects such as matte, gloss, or embossing, they also add to the buildup of ink necessary to create ADA signage and Braille,” says Jay Roberts, UV product manager, Roland. He adds that Roland’s specially formulated inks are also designed for printing around complex corners and curves without cracking or peeling, making them ideal for use on an array of shapes and surfaces.
Pricing it Out
Cost is another consideration that affects specialty uses like white ink and textured printing. “The rule of thumb for flatbed printing with our machine is a penny per square inch. That obviously rises if you were to print texture of ABA/Braille. At that time, ink cost becomes extremely file dependent,” advises Michael Perrelli, marketing manager, Direct Color Systems.
Ink costs vary depending on coverage, profile, and image type. Conrad adds that white ink is typically slightly more expensive than CMYK.
Green says on average, the cost per liter is around $300. “A liter of ink will last a long time with these machines because the print sizes are generally a lot smaller,” he offers.
McGettrick suggests the average cost per liter is about $150 for CMYK and $175 for white.
Juan Kim, CEO, Valloy Incorporation estimates the cost to be $80 per liter for color and $100 for white and varnish.
Roberts says the average square foot cost for Roland’s ECO-UV inks is approximately $.24 per square foot, which is higher than traditional solvent inks. “What makes these inks versatile is the simple fact that, when used with our VersaUV printers, end users can print directly onto objects or products. The labor costs are dramatically lowered, which cannot be recovered in analyzing direct ink costs.”
Roberts adds that time equals money. “Having the ability to print onto the finished product far outweighs the difference in cost compared to traditional solvent ink costs. UV ink becomes a production tool. Add the special effects like gloss ink, and your final UV printed products end up being dramatically more profitable then solvent output.”
Think Ink
Advancements in UV ink have made it possible to print to almost any substrate. Smaller format UV printers utilizing these ink sets offer a range of digitally printed applications. In the third part of this series, we discuss how adhesion promoters enhance the durability of items printed using smaller format UV printers.
Click here to read part three of this exclusive online series, Maximizing Versatility.
Jan2018, Industrial Print Magazine