Difference Between The latest UV Printing VS. The Traditional Screen Printing

When it comes to printing, the vision has gone beyond clothes and t-shirts, and now one can imagine almost anything being printed and

Customizations such as glass doors, table tops and fancy phone cases, even on metal. Technological invasion brings something new, something that can become

For business. This is a wake-up call for the latest printing innovation, digital UV printing.

ancient methodology

Screen printing is a printing technique that has been used since the 1900s and was pioneered by the Chinese. Using stamp-like techniques with the help of aluminum mesh,

Various designs can be created using various screens. This technology has been widely used in fabrics, mainly T-shirts. After printing, the ink must be heated to dry or placed in a high temperature oven to allow the ink to dry. The process is highly flexible, and the color effects and ink quality on garments are noteworthy.

Is change always good?

Shortcomings in a process always lead to innovation, and new products take the limelight. Excessive dry time and limitations for printing on fabric only

Leading to a new wave - the evolution of UV printing. Thanks to the built-in UV lamp, the ink dries instantly without causing smudging or smudging. This allows any type of design to be printed on any surface such as acrylic, metal, ceramic, glass or even wood. UV printing can print black and white images simultaneously on the same surface. With photo-quality results, printing efficiency and print volumes are greatly increased, reducing overall costs.

What is better?

The face-off between modern and traditional printing techniques will lead to a better understanding of which technique yields better results. Here are some parameters worth considering:

1. Cost

Cost is the most important thing. UV printing is a linear process independent of the number of prints, favoring lower production volumes because

There are no setup costs involved. Screen printing involves a wide range of stencils to be created, so they are not suitable for lower quantities. However, if bulk orders are to be printed, the same stencil can be used, so screen printing may be the way to go.

2. Printed products

Screen printing is a powerful technique, but it's mostly focused on apparel and T-shirts. Digital UV printing can be extended to almost any type of surface such as acrylic, aluminum, glass, metal and wood. Tons of items can be customized such as pens, doors, mugs, phone cases, trophies and more. UV printing has revolutionized the market through customization and personalization. The gift industry is booming because of UV printing technology.

3. Use of ink

The inks used in UV printing contain chemicals called photoinitiators, which initiate a series of reactions when exposed to UV light. This ink dries instantly when exposed to UV light.

Screen printing uses three types of inks - plastisols, water-based inks and discharge inks. Each ink has limitations in terms of drying process and post-wash quality.

4. Environmental awareness

This factor gradually becomes more important as the consciousness of a generation increases. Plastisols used for screen printing contain PVC, which is a harmful pollutant. Water-based inks are relatively more environmentally friendly. However, UV printing is very environmentally friendly, using neither heat nor toxins in the process; therefore, it is the clear winner in this category.