Specialized Assembly Systems, LLC 7685 Hawthorne Place Livermore, CA 94550 Toll-Free: (877) 642-7100 Fax: (925) 215-2187
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An Introduction to Pad Printing
Pad Printing has developed extensively throughout the years. Today, Pad Printing is the marking solution for a broad range of applications. Long-lasting silicone print pads, inexpensive photo polymer plates, a diversity of inks and Sealed Ink Cup technology have all greatly improved the process, creating new opportunities in the industry. However, the fundamentals of Pad Printing have changed little since its inception (examples show Sealed Ink Cup technology):
The Sealed Ink Cup (an inverted cup containing ink) sits over the etched image area of the plate, filling the image with ink. The Sealed Ink Cup moves away from the image area of the plate, taking all excess ink with it but leaving ink in the etched image. The Printing Pad moves over the image, then compresses down on it momentarily, lifting the ink out of the etched area. As the Printing Pad (now carrying the image) moves over the part to be printed, the Ink Cup again fills the etched image with ink in preparation for the next cycle. The Printing Pad compresses down on the work piece, transferring the image to its surface, which completes one Print Cycle. The high drying speed of modern pad printing inks makes rapid color-on-color printing possible.
The preceding short description of a typical pad printing cycle also serves to introduce the key elements of pad printing, namely:
The SUBSTRATE(the part to be printed)
Assuming that the pad printing machine is functioning correctly in a mechanical sense, these four elements will determine the quality and accuracy of the final product. The discussion of each element is included to give the reader some general ideas of how each element contributes to the final results, just click on the links listed above.
For more information, a detailed quote, or to place an order, please contact us either via e-mail at support@sasusa.com or call us at (877) 642-7100.
SAS is the solutions resource for all of your plastic assembly & decorating equipment and services.