The world of UV printing expertise as we speak presents media and software versatility for a spread of wants
By Ginny Mumm
As the worldwide marketplace for ultra-violet (UV) printing continues to develop, printer producers are responding with revolutionary and versatile options for print service suppliers (PSPs). Advances in printer expertise together with expanded and improved inksets, equipment, and up to date raster imaging processor (RIP) software program have made the most recent UV printers extra correct, productive, and versatile than ever earlier than. Along with permitting customers to print on absolutely anything, these printers can now produce vibrant, high-quality output rivaling output from different manufacturing gadgets.
To higher perceive the developments and improvements in UV print manufacturing, we talked with Jay Roberts, Roland DGA product supervisor for UV printers, who spoke concerning the methods the most recent UV printing expertise addresses as we speak’s market.
Why are PSPs concerned with UV print manufacturing? What makes this expertise impactful?
Jay Roberts (JR): With its capacity to print on all kinds of substrates and 3D objects, UV printing presents distinctive media and software versatility. Customers can personalize and customise supplies and objects in a spread of sizes, permitting PSPs to upsell current clients and enchantment to new ones. UV printing functionality additionally opens alternatives to enter new markets, together with packaging, promotional merchandise, point-of-purchase shows, artwork, and inside design.
As well as, UV printing presents customers a easy and easy manufacturing cycle. Since UV inks print on to the top substrate, customers keep away from the necessity to print, laminate, after which mount their graphics, saving time and streamlining workflows.
How have inks developed?
JR: The evolution in UV inks has been a key component within the growing reputation of UV printers. Right now’s UV inksets supply customers a widened color gamut, which creates a bigger color house for printers to match model colors or hit the right hue for his or her purchasers. These superior inksets yield high-quality output similar to the output from eco-solvent printers and permit straightforward cross-platform manufacturing.
Specialised inksets are additionally being created to answer customers’ differing manufacturing wants. As well as, customers can transition from one inkset to the opposite as their manufacturing wants change over time. One other innovation in UV inksets is the widened variety of configuration choices now obtainable. Some inksets supply customers as many as seven totally different ink configurations to satisfy their particular wants.
How does having UV print functionality assist print suppliers capitalize on developments?
JR: Customization and personalization are solely growing as companies seize the potential these companies present for extra revenue and connection to their purchasers. Print outlets can supply these companies on merchandise they already present, corresponding to signage, or broaden their choices to incorporate printing on merchandise like promotional gadgets, golf balls, and cellphone instances. UV printing helps PSPs meet all these wants with quick-drying, sturdy, and scratch-resistant prints.
One other benefit of UV printing is its white and gloss ink capabilities. Including distinction with a base layer of white ink or results with gloss ink enhances the look of the product. Moreover, customers can add spot color and a matte or gloss end to set their designs other than the competitors. UV prints may also be layered to create a texture simulating well-liked embossing or three-dimensional results.
What about hybrid printers? What advantages do they supply?
JR: Hybrid UV printers supply the flexibility to print on inflexible supplies corresponding to board inventory and metals, in addition to printing roll-to-roll media for graphics and backlit shows. Hybrid UV printers are additionally getting used for printing on heavier textile roll-to-roll media used to create merchandise corresponding to umbrellas and awnings.
Along with providing extra versatility for patrons, hybrid printers have a lowered footprint in contrast with conventional flatbed printers. Over the previous few years, printer producers have begun providing a spread of mattress sizes to accommodate the wants of customers, from deeper and bigger beds to extra compact choices.
Customizing objects continues to be well-liked. What are producers providing to make this course of simpler?
JR: Together with different manufacturing enhancements, the most recent UV printers can accommodate objects of larger thickness, thus growing the vary of merchandise that may be printed on. Many flatbed or hybrid UV printers can print on objects as much as 177.8 mm (7 in.) thick or extra.
Printing on curved or uneven supplies might be difficult as a result of supplies’ various distance from the printheads. Nonetheless, newer printers supply a “distance mode” permitting detailed prints on these supplies with none loss in high quality.
Are there equipment facilitating printing on 3D objects?
JR: Fashionable UV printer equipment supply customers elevated capabilities and the chance to broaden their product vary to incorporate well-liked merchandise corresponding to water bottles and tumblers.
Customers may print on your complete circumference of cylindrical objects corresponding to insulated water bottles, glass vases, candles, and different objects of varied sizes and diameters This extra printing functionality with no loss in high quality is a win-win for PSPs and their purchasers.
What have the most recent software program enhancements delivered to UV printing?
JR: The evolution of RIP software program has stored tempo with ink and printer expertise developments. The latest RIP applications include a variety of options and modes to assist customers produce extra correct output, extra quickly.
Whereas color administration was once a key concern in digital printing, current RIP software program supplies profiles and modes that handle color extraordinarily nicely. Customers can nonetheless create their very own color profiles, however usually discover they not have to. Right now’s printer software program may measure the color in a swatch or paint chip, and reproduce it with exceptional accuracy.
Roland DG printers, for instance, include the VersaWorks RIP software program included. VersaWorks presents superior options third-party RIPs can’t present. One characteristic serving to customers create particular results is the flexibility to regulate UV lamp intensities. This management can be utilized for particular results together with a foil method, the place a person lays down a spot of uncured gloss ink, provides foil, rubs it in, and cures it, leaving the foil within the print. Though these particular strategies might be extra labour-intensive, they add influence and worth to artwork or decor initiatives.
What do you see for the way forward for UV printing?
JR: Within the subsequent few years, I anticipate there will probably be many bulletins about new UV printer platforms providing elevated velocity and manufacturing capabilities. Producers are listening and responding to the market’s demand for extra velocity and for continued advances in vibrant, correct manufacturing.
Ginny Mumm is a contract guide for digital inkjet printer/cutter supplier Roland DGA. For extra info, go to www.rolanddga.com.