UV Inks

UV inks are typically very thick. Although lower viscosities are available, UV inks generally range from 1000-5000 centipoise (as compared with water based inks in the vicinity of 100 centipoise). It would therefore be reasonable to expect water or solvent inks to more readily transfer from the engraved cells to the substrate (have a higher transfer factor). It is important to note that printers are experiencing good results with rolls manufactured to specifications established for water and solvent inks. Existing anilox rolls can be used for printing UV and provide a benchmark for specifying new anilox roll engravings. Transfer factor aside, the significantly thicker consistency of UV ink can benefit the print quality by reducing color bleed and dot gain resulting in sharper images.

UV inks act like liquid plastic. As the ink is exposed to concentrated UV radiation, a chemical reaction takes place during which the photo-initiators cause the ink components to cross-link into a solid. No material is removed so nearly 100% of the delivered volume is used to provide coloration. Assuming all of the ink transferred from the cells to the substrate, to attain the color density previously attained with water based ink, the anilox roll would have to be specified to delivered about 35% less ink to the substrate. Of course, viscosity will play a key role in determining the percentage of ink to transfer (transfer factor).

UV inks do not dry in the air so they do not tend to plug the cells. There in no component that evaporates so there is no need for clean-ups between press runs. The press could even be left over the weekend without cleaning and be ready to go on Monday.

UV inks do not dry in the air so they do not tend to plug the cells

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