ST Series Pad Printing Ink

ST Series Mixing and Printing instructions

The only way to mix printing ink is by weight, whether you’re adding hardeners, solvents, or mixing different colors to make a new color.

• To use the ink as one component, add the solvent to the ink. Mixing ratio: 10–35% of the ink’s weight, depending on the color. Solvent is added to the ink to adjust the ink’s viscosity. The choice of solvent and the amount added are highly dependent on the printing environment and the printing speed.

Using the ink as a two component ink

• A two component ink has two components; the solvent and the hardener. This ink uses the i-300X hardener. Two component inks have a pot life of 8 hours.
• Pour the printing ink into a mixing container and note the weight.
• Add the hardener to the ink. The mixing ratio is 10 parts ink to 1 part hardener, i.e., 10% of the ink’s weight. Mix the ink and the hardener together.
• The solvent, which should be between 10% and 35% of the ink’s weight, should then be added to the ink-hardener mixture.

Note, the ink-hardener-solvent mixture is chemically reactive and must be processed within 7–9 hours.

Printing Parameters: Pad Printing

• Printing Plates (clichés) – Textiles
  Use any commercially available clichés that are made of ceramic, photopolymer, laser, or steel plates. The recommended cliché depth is 35 μm for standard prints and 50μm for half tones.

• Printing Plates (clichés) – Hard goods/ rubber substrates
  Use any commercially available clichés that are made of ceramic, photopolymer, laser, or steel plates. The recommended cliché depth is 20 μm for standard prints and 35μm for half tones.

• Printing pads
  Use silicone printing pads. The ink works regardless of the hardness (durometer) of the pad. 60 – 65 Durometer for textiles.
• Printing machines
  The Natron ST Series is suitable for both closed-cup and open-ink well machines. Use the appropriate thinner for the correct type of machine. For open ink wells, use slower pad printing ink solvents (thinners).

Printing Parameters: Screen printing

For screen printing, use any of the commonly available polyester meshes and solvent-resistant emulsions. Use 110–156 mesh (mesh per inch)-count screens for the highest opacity and on dark substrates. Use a mesh count of 230 for fine details.