What do I need to print a logo on silicone rubber?

From time to time, we get calls and emails on how to print a logo on silicone rubber products. Many people ask if it is possible to print a logo on silicone. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to mark or print a logo on silicone rubber products.

Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc., boasts a reputation for excellence in the silicone industry. We offer specialized silicone inks that adhere permanently to silicone rubber. Our printing inks deliver crisp and long-lasting logo prints. As pioneers in this field, we provide a complete solution that not only meets the highest quality standards but also ensures an easy and efficient printing process.

What is silicone rubber?

In simple terms, silicone rubber is a flexible and temperature-resistant synthetic elastomer (rubber). This rubber material is composed of silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. It features properties such as heat resistance, chemical inertness, and elasticity. As a result, this makes silicone valuable for many industrial and consumer applications. Here are some of the common silicone printing applications.

The benefits of marking and printing a logo on silicone

Some of the benefits of printing a logo on silicone include brand visibility and product appeal. For industrial applications, companies choose to mark silicone for use indications. Let’s review the reasons why you should print on silicone rubber in more detail.

  • Brand visibility: printing a logo on silicone makes it highly visible to all users. As a result, this increases brand awareness—simple getting your name out there.
  • Durability: silicone rubber is very durable. Additionally, it has resistance to wear and tear and retains its shape in extreme temperatures. For these and many other reasons, using silicone ink to print silicone ensures that branding remains intact even in extreme environments.
  • Brand recognition: A silicone product with a well-printed logo ensures that a brand is easily identifiable. As a result, this creates a lasting impression, which fosters brand loyalty.
  • Versatility: Many industries, including medical, promotional, consumer electronics, packaging, aerospace, and industrial, widely use silicone rubber. All these industries benefit tremendously from using ink and silicone to brand their products. For example, many companies use custom silicone rubber wristbands to promote their brands at events.
  • Cost-effectiveness: The cost of printing a silicone rubber product is roughly $0.015 per square inch. As a result, branding a silicone rubber item, which feels expensive, becomes an excellent way to market your brand.
  • High-quality printing: There are various printing methods for effective printing on silicone. These are pad printing and screen printing methods. Combining these printing technologies with silicone inks delivers sharp, logo-lasting logos that enhance the overall aesthetics of a product.

What you need to Print a Logo on Silicone Rubber

silicone printing suppliesThere are several methods for printing on silicone. These include screen printing and pad printing. In certain instances, such as digital printing on silicone, you can use print transfer papers. In our case, we will focus on screen printing and pad printing technologies. While there are similarities between these two technologies, they are different in how and what they can print.

  • The pad printing process transfers a 2-D image onto a 3-D object, e.g., pens, mugs, drinking glassware, etc. Additionally, this printing process is excellent for printing odd-shaped objects at high speed. Learn more about the pad-printing process here.
  • Screen printing, on the other hand, uses a mesh to transfer the image onto a substrate. Except for the image, a stencil is blocking the mesh. Use this method to print cylindrical, tapered, and flat objects.

The common silicone printing supplies for these two technologies include silicone ink, silicone thinner (solvent), and silicone catalyst.

For pad printing, you will need a pad printing machine equipped with an ink cup, a pad printing plate (cliché), and a pad printing tooling fixture. Learn more about our pad printing supplies. For screen printing, you need a screen printing machine, fixtures, and screens. Learn how to print on silicone rubber.

Choosing the best ink, supplies, and machines to print on silicone.

There are several factors to consider when choosing the best ink, printing supplies, and equipment for your next silicone printing project. This includes:

The company has experience working with silicone materials. Many companies that distribute ink do not have the in-house capability or understanding of the nature of silicone rubber materials. Additionally, you want a company that has high-quality inks, printing supplies, and printing equipment. This will determine the quality of your logo prints. And lastly, the in-house customer service and expertise in printing on silicone.

Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc., is a pioneer in the silicone printing industry. We are the only company with ink for printing on any silicone rubber product. Our history is based on printing on and making silicone more functional. Furthermore, our inks are used on every continent. We not only have distributors worldwide, but we also have 24/7 customer support to make sure that you can effectively print on silicone.

Lastly, we not only offer inks for silicone printing, but we also make the best silicone printing machines. Along with these machines, we offer complementary pad printing supplies and screen-printing supplies to make sure that you successfully print crisp and vibrant images on silicone.

You might also be interested in printing on sporting goods. Have printing questions? Please visit our support hub!