PAD PRINTING INK FOR GLASS, CERAMICS, METALS, AND HARD PLASTICS
Pad printing ink for glass—the Natron™ MG Series is a 2-componet ink for printing glass, ceramics, tiles, metals, aluminum, chrome-plated parts, varnish-coated substrates, thermosetting plastics, and epoxy resins. This glass printing ink has excellent adhesion on all these difficult-to-print substrates.
MG Series pad printing ink also has very high opacity and gloss compared to other glass printing inks on the market today. This feature makes it the perfect ink for printing on promotional items made of glass, ceramics, or metal, such as pre-printed glass panes, bottles, and tiles. In addition, the MG series will print on carbon fiber materials. This series will not only print on rigid materials, but it will also print on flexible parts by altering the hardener ratio. There are three hardeners available for this glass pad printing ink. These are the i-260x, i-240x, and i-247x. The i-260X is the most popular hardener. The i-247x speeds up the ink’s reaction and reduces the gloss effect of the ink film.
MG Series pad printing ink for glass is available in 23 high-opacity color shades. Like all other Natron inks, the shades within this series are intermixable to create new colors. Lastly, safety data sheets are available according to US and EU regulations. See the product label for primary indications.
Additionally, the MG Series pad printing ink is “non-toxic”, formulated with fade-resistant pigments that are free from heavy metals. As a result, this ink is safe to use on medical devices and healthcare surfaces.
In instances where a matte finish is required, by adding 2% matte powder to the ink, the gloss from the ink film is reduced. Before a production run, it is important to do preliminary adhesion tests when the matting powder is added.
Inks for pad printing on glass adhesion tests
This glass printing ink is easy to use and very resistant to binding, shearing, creasing, and chemical agents. On metals, glass, and hard plastics, it can stand up to detergents, hot water, alcohol, acids, and alkalis. This requires the ink film to be properly cured after printing at 140 °C (250 °F) for at least 20 minutes.
Dishwasher-resistant tests:
- Domestic dish washer: 300 cycles (65°C at 130 min for alkaline detergents)
- Commercial dishwashers, e.g. Winterhalter glass washer (85°C at 3 minutes): 1500 cycles
Chemical Resistance:
- Perfume: G1-test after 24 hours;
- Ethanol and glass cleansing agent: 500 DRS;
- Aceton/MEK: 50 DRS.
Humidity resistance:
- Condensation water test (75 °C at 100% RH for 30 minutes; cold water immersion test for 24 hours)
