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Plastic Pad Printing Ink
Plastic Pad Printing Ink Plastic pad printing ink is a solvent-based type of ink formulated as a one- or two-component ink for printing on plastics. In general, there are two types of plastics: solvent-sensitive (simple plastics) and non-solvent-sensitive (complex plastics). For solvent-sensitive plastics, pre-treatment is not required. These plastics have a surface energy level that is the same as or above the pad printing ink. Complex plastics, on the other hand, have low surface energy. As a result, pre-treatment is required for good ink adhesion. An example of an ink adhesion promoter for complex plastics is Natron polypropylene primer. Types of pad printing inks There are different kinds of pad printing inks based on their \"base\" material or the number of parts they have. There are solvent-based, water-based, and UV-curable pad printing inks. The latter two are the most recent and are gaining momentum due to sustainability and eco-friendly demand. In addition to this categorization, these inks are either 1-part or 2-part inks. A one-component ink requires only solvent to print. A two-component ink needs both a solvent and a hardener to print. Pre-Treatment methods To get good ink adhesion on complex plastics, pre-treat the material prior to printing. Learn more about UV inkjet primers. Examples of pre-treatments include chemical wipes, flame treatments, and corona treatments. Each of these methods has its own benefits. Post-Treatment methods. Post-treatment is the process of curing the ink after printing. The ink bonds to the substrates. Some inks might require heat to accelerate and permanently bond to the product, while others will air cure over a period of time. Plastic Pad Printing Inks by Boston Industrial Solutions. Boston Industrial Solutions offers a wide range of printing inks for plastics. Most of our Natron printing inks at Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc., are for printing plastic or plastics. TP Series pad printing ink The TP Series is a 1- or 2-component ink. This ink is probably the most advanced pad printing ink on the market today. It prints on a wide range of substrates, such as polycarbonates (PC), PVC, pre-treated polypropylene (PP), recycled PETE, Tritan plastics, polyurathane, acrylics, coated metals, wood, leather, and many more. Additionally, this ink features fast drying, high opacity, high gloss, and high abrasion resistance. EK Series pad printing ink This one-component pad printing ink is for high-speed pad printing applications. It comes ready to print. It is made with hand-selected copolymer materials. In addition to plastic, this ink also prints on vinyl. These inks are perfect for printing on signage. MG Series pad printing ink The MG series is primarily a screen- and pad-printed ink for glass and metals. However, it also performs very well on hard plastics such as POM, polyethene, pre-treated PP, and more. The MG series has a very high gloss and high opacity due to its fade-resistant pigments. ST Series pad printing ink Our Natron ST Series is a pad printing ink for tagless applications. It also prints very well on EPDM and EVA substrates. This ink series has a satin finish and can adhere to PU and soft PVC. Learn more about this ink for pad printing on neck labels. All these inks adhere to many plastic substrates. However, the best plastic pad printing ink is the TP Series. It is versatile and adheres perfectly to very many substrates. It might simply be the only ink you\'ll need for pad printing on plastic substrates. Lastly, you should always test your substrate before printing to make sure that the ink sticks well and that the ink is good for your application. If you are not sure, we have a free testing lab. We can test your product\'s ink adhesion. Contact us today to learn more about our plastic pad printing inks. Also, visit our pad printing ink page or our YouTube Channel to learn more.
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Importance of Medical-Grade Pad Printing Ink
The Importance of Medical-Grade Pad Printing Ink Importance of Medical-Grade Ink: Medical-grade ink is an essential component in the production of medical devices. These printing inks ensure that markings and labels on medical products are durable, legible, and safe for use on humans and in healthcare settings. Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc. offers several screen and pad-printing inks for medical applications like the Natron SE-F printing ink for silicone rubber medical devices. Medical-grade pad printing ink for marking medical devices should meet important safety standards. In the United States, Class VI certification shows that a printing ink is compliant with FDA rules. Additionally, this certification also proves that the product is safe for the human body. The standard set is the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) 30, the National Formulary (NF) 25, and the 2007 standard. This standard includes a full range of tests, procedures, and industry best practices for all phases of pharmaceutical and medical device development and manufacturing. Why are medical-grade printing inks important? Let us explore reasons why medical-grade pad printing ink is important: Safety: Medical-grade inks are formulated to be non-toxic for humans and safe for use in healthcare settings. These inks are free from harmful substances that could leach into the product or cause allergic reactions in patients. Durability: Medical devices are subjected to harsh conditions such as sterilization, cleaning, and exposure to chemicals. As a result, markings on these devices must withstand these conditions. This ensures that the labels and markings remain legible over the lifespan of the product. Check out the Natron MG series—excellent pad and screen-printing ink for marking syringes, medical tubing, coated metals, and stainless-steel devices. Legibility: The markings and labels on medical devices must be clear and legible. This ensures that the product is easy to use. Boston Industrial Solutions uses fade-resistant pigments for all its pad printing inks. Additionally, all these have high opacity, making it easy to print high-quality, precise markings. Learn more about the Volta M100 single-color pad printing machine. Compliance: Medical-grade pad printing inks must meet and exceed FDA-set standards. Our Natron Screen and pad printing inks have USP Class VI certification, which ensures that markings on medical products meet the necessary standards for quality, safety, and efficacy. Importance of Medical-Grade Ink Testing For an ink used in pad printing a medical device to pass USP Class VI standards, it must exhibit an exceptionally low levels of toxicity by passing all these test requirements. These tests include: Acute Systemic Toxicity Test, which evaluates for the irritant effect of the test material and determines its human hazard potential. An intracutaneous test evaluates the response of particular tissues to the material and is administered directly to the tissues. Implantation Test, which determines the response of live tissue. Standard Temperatures and Times: This test guarantees the results meet a common standard even if prepared at different temperatures and times. Conclusion Overall, medical-grade pad printing ink plays a crucial role in the production of medical devices, ensuring that the products are durable, legible, safe, and compliant with regulatory requirements. Follow us YouTube for the latest news and printing tips.
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How to improve UV ink adhesion
UV ink does not adhere to low-surface-energy substrates. This is also true for other types of printing inks, such as screen or pad printing inks. Many printing companies are transitioning to UV flatbed printers, cylindrical inkjet printers, or even switching from solvent-based inks to UV printing inks. With this change, contract printers will often find themselves asking, \"How can I improve UV ink adhesion?\" Here are some printing pre-treatment methods to address ink adhesion challenges. Printing environment When printing with UV inkjet inks, the ink, once cured, may not adhere to all surfaces. However, the type of pretreatment used will greatly affect UV ink adhesion. Before printing with UV inkjet machines, it is important to print following the recommended printing environment temperatures. While UV ink hardens instantly when exposed to UV light, it might not harden or adhere at low temperatures. Optimal printing temperatures range from 25°C (77°F) to 30°C (86°F). Corona treatment for UV printing The corona treatment process increases the surface energy of the substrate. The increased surface energy allows for improved surface wettability. This in turn improves the adhesion of inks, adhesives, and coatings to corona-treated substrates. Materials treated with this method demonstrate improved printability and stronger bonding characteristics. Cororan treatment increases the surface energy by using high voltage and frequency, which change the polarity of non-absorbent material and increase the surface energy. This is what enables the substrate to bond with UV inkjet ink. Typical applications for this treatment method include PE, PP, nylon, PVC, PET, etc. UV ink adhesion promoters Many printing professionals use UV ink adhesion promoter every day because it is easy to apply and works well. UV printing adhesion promoters are commonly known as UV ink primers. To use these primers, manually apply the correct adhesion promoter to your specific material by hand, and then print. Printing primers clean the surface of the substrate and prepare it to accept UV ink. Most primers achieve this by opening up the \"pores\" of the surface or by increasing the surface energy. Additionally, primers help to remove electrostatic, which causes deflection during printing. Check out our article priming is the solution to learn more. Lastly, printing primers are substrate-specific; e.g., a UV ink adhesion promoter such as the Natron G1 primer works well on glass, tritan, ceramics, and tiles. On the other hand, Natron Fi UV adhesion Promoter is excellent for glass and metals (coated and uncoated). Other factors to improve UV ink adhesion To achieve full UV ink adhesion, it is important for the UV ink to fully cure. There are several factors that impact the ink curing process. These are: power of the UV curing light; to speed up and increase adhesion, increase the power of the UV curing lamp. Printing speed: Slower speeds give the print more time to be exposed to UV light, which makes it stick better. Adding more time to the curing process will also help the ink harden and stick to the substrate better. Make sure that all the printing components are working properly. Lastly, it is important to note that while multiple printing passes increase ink opacity, this also affects the amount of light passing through the ink. This affects how much the inks will cure. Visit our products page to learn more about or products such as printing plates, pad printing inks, and UV inks. Also, follow us on YouTube for the latest products and trouble shooting guide.
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