There are two types of pad printing machine inking systems—a seal ink cup and a doctor blade system. These two systems have gained widespread implementation worldwide. The sealed-cup systems have seen widespread adoption in North America for decades, but they are finally taking over in other parts of the world. Open inkwell systems are still popular throughout the world. For both new and existing equipment buyers, we offer pad printing consumables for open inkwell and sealed ink cup pad printing equipment systems. Learn more about these pad printing ink cups and rings.
A pad printing ink cup, also known as an ink cup, is a key component of a pad printing machine, fitted with or without magnets, an O-ring, and a sharp ceramic or tungsten ring for scraping ink on all types of plates (cliches). The ink cup acts as an ink reservoir—it holds and deposits the precise amount of pad-printing ink onto the etched image on the plate.
The functions of the ink cup system are to maintain the ink viscosity. Additionally, it acts as a sustainable system that limits solvent evaporation and the VOCs released into the printing environment.
There are two types of sealed cup systems: a magnetic ink cup and a non-magnetic ink cup. Both ink cup types achieve excellent results when doctoring printing plates.
Magnetic ink cups have magnets that exert force between the plate (cliché) and the cup. This force prevents the ink from leaking as the cup moves back and forth. Additionally, its implementation is easy, especially with multi-color pad printer systems. This makes the construction of machines cost-effective.
Non-magnetic ink cups do not have magnets. The pad printing machine applies the pressure either to an outer flange or a center hole. These types of cups are excellent for high-speed applications where the cup is held in place while the plate moves back and forth.
The ink cup assembly has several components (body, ring, O-rings, and vent plugs). Let us review each component and its functions below.
The function of the ring is to remove excess ink from the surface of the plate, leaving ink only in the engraved etch.
The ink cup systems have several advantages over open ink wells. These include:
It is therefore very important to ensure proper maintenance and adjustment of the ink cup. These will result in achieving high-quality prints and minimizing ink waste.
The ink cup is a crucial component of a pad printing machine. The ink cup acts as a reservoir, which holds the pad printing ink. Components of the ink cup include the body, O-ring, vent plug, and a ring (ceramic or tungsten). The O-ring absorbs shock when the machine is rocking back and forth. The ink cup ring cleans the excess ink from the image.
We offer the widest variety of pad-printing rings to fit any pad-printing machine.
Still have questions about ink cups and rings? Contact us or visit our support hub!
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