A palette of possibilities in UV printing

The world of UV printing know-how at the moment affords media and software versatility for a spread of wants

By Ginny Mumm

With at the moment’s wider color gamut and complicated print software program, UV printers can create vibrant and complicated designs. Images courtesy Roland DGA

As the worldwide marketplace for ultra-violet (UV) printing continues to develop, printer producers are responding with progressive and versatile options for print service suppliers (PSPs). Advances in printer know-how together with expanded and improved inksets, equipment, and up to date raster imaging processor (RIP) software program have made the most recent UV printers extra correct, productive, and versatile than ever earlier than. Along with permitting customers to print on absolutely anything, these printers can now produce vibrant, high-quality output rivaling output from different manufacturing gadgets.

To raised perceive the traits and improvements in UV print manufacturing, we talked with Jay Roberts, Roland DGA product supervisor for UV printers, who spoke concerning the methods the most recent UV printing know-how addresses at the moment’s market. 

Why are PSPs concerned with UV print manufacturing? What makes this know-how impactful?

Jay Roberts (JR): With its capability to print on all kinds of substrates and 3D objects, UV printing affords distinctive media and software versatility. Customers can personalize and customise supplies and objects in a spread of sizes, permitting PSPs to upsell present prospects and attraction to new ones. UV printing functionality additionally opens alternatives to enter new markets, together with packaging, promotional merchandise, point-of-purchase shows, artwork, and inside design.

As well as, UV printing affords customers a easy and easy manufacturing cycle. Since UV inks print on to the top substrate, customers keep away from the necessity to print, laminate, after which mount their graphics, saving time and streamlining workflows.

How have inks developed?

JR: The evolution in UV inks has been a key aspect within the growing reputation of UV printers. At the moment’s UV inksets provide customers a widened color gamut, which creates a bigger color house for printers to match model colors or hit the proper hue for his or her shoppers. These superior inksets yield high-quality output akin to the output from eco-solvent printers and permit simple cross-platform manufacturing.

Specialised inksets are additionally being created to reply to customers’ differing manufacturing wants. As well as, customers can transition from one inkset to the opposite as their manufacturing wants change over time. One other innovation in UV inksets is the widened variety of configuration choices now accessible. Some inksets provide customers as many as seven completely different ink configurations to fulfill their particular wants.

Newer UV printers have options optimizing printing on curved surfaces, together with attachments that make it simple to print instantly on cylindrical objects.

How does having UV print functionality assist print suppliers capitalize on traits?

JR: Customization and personalization are solely growing as companies seize the potential these companies present for added revenue and connection to their shoppers. Print outlets can provide these companies on merchandise they already present, reminiscent of signage, or develop their choices to incorporate printing on merchandise like promotional objects, golf balls, and cellphone circumstances. UV printing helps PSPs meet all these wants with quick-drying, sturdy, and scratch-resistant prints.

One other benefit of UV printing is its white and gloss ink capabilities. Including distinction with a base layer of white ink or results with gloss ink enhances the look of the product. Moreover, customers can add spot color and a matte or gloss end to set their designs other than the competitors. UV prints may also be layered to create a texture simulating well-liked embossing or three-dimensional results.

What about hybrid printers? What advantages do they supply?

JR: Hybrid UV printers provide the flexibility to print on inflexible supplies reminiscent of board inventory and metals, in addition to printing roll-to-roll media for graphics and backlit shows. Hybrid UV printers are additionally getting used for printing on heavier textile roll-to-roll media used to create merchandise reminiscent of umbrellas and awnings.

Along with providing extra versatility for purchasers, hybrid printers have a lowered footprint in contrast with conventional flatbed printers. Over the previous few years, printer producers have begun providing a spread of mattress sizes to accommodate the wants of customers, from deeper and bigger beds to extra compact choices.

Customizing objects continues to be well-liked. What are producers providing to make this course of simpler?

JR: Together with different manufacturing enhancements, the most recent UV printers can accommodate objects of better thickness, thus growing the vary of merchandise that may be printed on. Many flatbed or hybrid UV printers can print on objects as much as 177.8 mm (7 in.) thick or extra.

Large-format UV printers can print on glass surfaces to supply customized inside decor.

Printing on curved or uneven supplies will be difficult because of the supplies’ various distance from the printheads. Nonetheless, newer printers provide a “distance mode” permitting detailed prints on these supplies with none loss in high quality.

Are there equipment facilitating printing on 3D objects?

JR: Trendy UV printer equipment provide customers elevated capabilities and the chance to broaden their product vary to incorporate well-liked merchandise reminiscent of water bottles and tumblers.

Customers may also print on your complete circumference of cylindrical objects reminiscent of insulated water bottles, glass vases, candles, and different objects of varied sizes and diameters This extra printing functionality with no loss in high quality is a win-win for PSPs and their shoppers.

What have the most recent software program enhancements delivered to UV printing?

JR: The evolution of RIP software program has stored tempo with ink and printer know-how developments. The most recent RIP applications include a variety of options and modes to assist customers produce extra correct output, extra quickly.

Whereas color administration was a key concern in digital printing, latest RIP software program offers profiles and modes that handle color extraordinarily effectively. Customers can nonetheless create their very own color profiles, however sometimes discover they now not have to. At the moment’s printer software program may also measure the color in a swatch or paint chip, and reproduce it with outstanding accuracy.

Roland DG printers, for instance, include the VersaWorks RIP software program included.  VersaWorks affords superior options third-party RIPs can’t present. One characteristic serving to customers create particular results is the flexibility to regulate UV lamp intensities. This management can be utilized for particular results together with a foil approach, the place a consumer lays down a spot of uncured gloss ink, provides foil, rubs it in, and cures it, leaving the foil within the print. Though these particular methods will be extra labour-intensive, they add impression and worth to artwork or decor tasks.

What do you see for the way forward for UV printing?

JR: Within the subsequent few years, I anticipate there can be many bulletins about new UV printer platforms providing elevated pace and manufacturing capabilities. Producers are listening and responding to the market’s demand for added pace and for continued advances in vibrant, correct manufacturing.

Ginny Mumm is a contract guide for digital inkjet printer/cutter supplier Roland DGA. For extra info, go to www.rolanddga.com.