Why are pad printing and the pad printing inks so wide spread in industry?

Pad printing can be particularly versatile and can adapt to a variety of materials of any shape and size. Prints can be done on small items, where the precision is a fundamental characteristic, like syringes and graduated scales, but it is also possible to customize big items like satellite dish, bins, wheel rims with very visible and recognizable logos that can come in several colors.

Core point of this technology is that unlike many other printing technologies, it allows the print also on uneven and curved surfaces.

Thanks to the indirect printing method, in which the silicone pad is the transfer means of the graphic to be printed, it is possible to get high precision prints on any kind of surface. The silicone pad gets the ink from the plate and then touches the item to be printed with high or low pressure. Its elastic surface takes the shape of the item and lays the image with high precision, preventing air bubbles. There are several pads with different hardness according to the material to be printed. There is also a wide range of pad printing inks both solvent and UV developed specifically for a wide range of materials like metals, plastics, fabrics.

Here below the benefits of the pad printing:

• Versatility: accuracy and possibility to customize the items
•  Allows to print on uneven and curved materials
• Several kinds of inks for pad printing both solvent and UV for high industrial production runs.
• Pad printing can be inserted as automatic decoration station in an automatic production line
• Easy operation and low maintenance.

Industrial applications of the pad printing:

• Automotive for printing logos, levers, wheel rims, as well as mechanical parts like brakes, gas and air tanks, jugs and bins of any kind
• Food sector: plastic and polystyrene food boxes, any shape and dimension of graduated meter and pressure gauge.
• Cosmetics: bottles, jars, shampoo caps, packaging for creams, perfumes, make up like lipstick and mascara.
• Electrical appliance: panels with information, logos and graduated scale, inner metal parts, pipes, electrical parts, electrical materials like switch, display, push button, panel. Safety helmets.
• Sport and toys: scale model, puzzle cubes, football and soccer balls, golf balls.
• Medical: phial, syringe with graduated scale, catheter, bandages.
• Baby bottle, tooth brush, abrasive grinder, hacksaw, plastic or metal caps for beverages, water, wine, vinegar and oil, screwdriver handle and other tools, double glazing, promotional gadgets like pens and usb stick, décor in general.
• Satellite dish
• Clothing: tags, inner labels of T-shirts and garments, hangers.

Just look about you, there surely is an item that has been pad printed… it could be the keyboard of your computer, an appliance display, a logo on a marker. It is worth exploring the amazing possibilities of this technology, it could be just what you need for your business!