There is a clear distinction between pad printing ink and screen printing ink. Screen printing ink relies on the mechanical structure under squeegee pressure, while pad printing ink is primarily defined by its transfer properties. This fundamental difference influences their formulation and application in various printing processes.
Special printing inks vary significantly depending on the method used. Screen printing inks are designed to work under pressure, requiring additives like lubricants to enhance permeability. In contrast, pad printing inks focus on efficient transfer from the printing head to the product surface. For instance, offset inks are often considered ideal for pad printing due to their good transferability and plasticity. However, pad printing inks must also include materials such as release agents to ensure complete transfer, which is not necessary for screen printing inks.
Screen printing inks typically produce thick, sharp prints, so they require high color density to achieve similar results. On the other hand, pad printing inks need sufficient activity lag to maintain clarity on the printing head. The coherence of the ink on the plastic or silicone rubber surface is higher than the surface tension, enabling smooth transfer, much like thermal transfer inks on thermal films. Complete transfer is the ultimate goal, but in practice, only about 86% of the ink transfers effectively.
In textile printing, screen printing is widely used, but water-based inks remain challenging to implement. One reason is that steel plates used in screen printing have poor water resistance and can be easily damaged by water-based inks. Although replacing the plate with a resin one could solve this issue, it may limit the transfer performance of the rubber head, making it difficult to transfer enough water-based ink.
Although some pad printing inks have been replaced by screen printing inks, they are not the same. While the general theory of ink applies to all printing methods, each process has unique requirements. These specific demands have led many manufacturers to develop specialized pad printing inks. Today, several improved versions of pad printing inks are available, often based on screen printing ink formulations.
For more detailed information on screen printing inks and pad printing inks, visit our website: http://news.chinawj.com.cn
Technology: Dongguan Caihui Company
Editor: Hardware Business Network Information Center
http://news.chinawj.com.cn
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