The untold story of UV printing

Did you know the invention of ultraviolet (UV) printing can be traced back to the early 1970s? Since they didn’t have the expansive lineup of equipment we have today, it was only used for printing bar codes and packaging labels. In the mid-2000s, however, the development of curing gel nail polish with UV light laid the groundwork for UV printing technology in the printing industry.

The fast-drying, long-lasting, and flawless manicure result brought to light the benefits of UV ink-curing. Eventually, UV printing technology began its journey into the printing industry for commercial and industrial applications, and it has grown in popularity ever since.

Who knew that spending all that time in salons with our fingers stuck in a heated little contraption would become such a groundbreaker for the printing industry? So, when you need to leave work early for a salon appointment, tell your boss it’s in the name of printing!

UV printing technology has changed the printing industry

When we purchased our first grandformat printer, the inks were solvent! In short, this means that when the inks were cured with a heat bar, they released an unpleasant odor into the air, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone, or toxic fumes. Without hesitation, we placed our equipment in a closed-off room and installed a powerful venting system to keep our employees safe.

Look at the industry now. We can print with specialized UV inks, and instead of heat, we use high-intensity LED ultraviolet lights to cure the ink onto substrates. The ultraviolet light travels closely behind the ink as it is distributed onto the substrate, drying it immediately. Zap!

UV printing offers countless benefits:

• Improved turnaround time(s) due to instant ink drying ability means
  faster output.
• UV-cured inks are more resistant to scratches, scuffs, and marks.
• The inks are brighter and cleaner than traditional printing methods.
• Color consistency and measurably higher print quality.
• Eco-friendly as the UV inks and curing process together release virtually no VOCs.
• Increased possibilities, as UV printers can print on almost every material thanks to UV-curing.

The answer is “Yes” when asked if UV printing is more expensive than other printing processes. LED lights, inks, and advanced technologies are costly to engineer, create, and manufacture. But if you consider just a few of the benefits listed above, I know you will come to the same conclusion that many printing companies already have: It’s just plain worth it!

Some of the examples of products you can produce with UV printing include glassware, linens, holiday decor, writing utensils, decor, signage, wayfinding signs, and wall coverings.

When considering the investment in UV printing, though, it’s not about how big your shop is or how many pieces of equipment you have; it’s about how well your equipment works for you. The following are a few questions you should ask yourself:

• Is my company strategic, efficient, growing, and fulfilling new goals?
• Are we meeting deadlines?
• Have I turned work down because we could not fulfill orders without buying them out?
• Is my sales team returning with sales because of the latest innovative ideas shared with customers?
• Do we need to spend less money on overtime expenses?
• Are my employees stifled with the same old day-in, day-out production and projects?
• Has our quality suffered because of tired and outdated equipment?
• Are my competitors outshining me?

When searching for new and exciting technology and production opportunities for your printing company, you must be ready for the surge. If you are not prepared, it could be too late! The safe feeling is to wait until the business comes in before you spend money to upgrade your equipment, hire new subject matter experts, cross-train employees, level out your processes and procedures — but trust me, when the additional new work lands, you won’t have the appropriate time to make the correct decisions. New printing technologies will always knock on your door — be assured that you and your team will know the right time to buy!