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The difference between gravure printing and flexographic printing. These two printing methods differ in terms of principles, application areas, and printing effects.

Gravure Printing

principle

Plate making process: The plate for gravure printing is usually made of metal (such as copper or steel), and fine grooves are formed on the surface of the plate through chemical etching or laser engraving, which form the printing pattern.

The development process of gravure printing can be traced back several centuries, and its technology continues to evolve, becoming an indispensable part of the modern printing industry. The following is the main development process of gravure printing:

In people's impression, gravure printing uses solvent based ink, which not only pollutes a lot but also does not comply with environmental regulations. Therefore, many printing factories have switched from gravure printing to flexographic printing. Of course, some printing factories have also changed from solvent based ink to water-based ink for use. So, can water-based ink be used in gravure printing?

The environmental challenges of gravure printing are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1、 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emissions

Large emissions: Solvent based inks and cleaning agents used in gravure printing processes release large amounts of VOCs, which can easily form photochemical smog in the atmosphere, posing a threat to the environment and human health.

There are significant differences between UV tattoo ink and UV printing ink in multiple aspects. The following is a comparison of the two from different perspectives:

1、 Composition and Characteristics

UV tattoo ink:

Ingredients: UV tattoo ink usually contains photosensitive polymers, pigments, additives, etc., which can quickly cure under UV light irradiation.

Chapter 1: The Dawn Sprouting from Difficulties

In early 20th century New York, Allen Smith was a young engineer passionate about printing technology. He witnessed the various limitations of the printing industry at that time, especially the threat to workers' health posed by the toxic ink used in aniline printing, which deeply touched him. So he began to study day and night in his own rudimentary laboratory how to improve this technology.

Chapter 1: Dawn in the Laboratory

In the late autumn of 1959, in a small chemical research institute in Manchester, England, Dr. Alan Harvey was standing in front of his experimental table, holding a special dropper in his hand, slowly dropping a drop of transparent liquid into a glass container with an ultraviolet lamp. This droplet of liquid is the closest to the successful UV ink formula he has tried countless times.

The light source of UV ink plays a crucial role in the curing process of UV ink, and their selection directly affects the curing speed, curing quality, and production cost of the ink. The following is a comparative analysis of UV ink light sources:

Photoinitiators play a crucial role in UV ink by triggering photochemical reactions in the ink, thereby achieving rapid curing of the ink. The following is a detailed discussion on the role of photoinitiators in UV ink:

There are various additives required for UV ink printing, which play a crucial role in the manufacturing, use, transportation, and storage of ink. The following are some commonly used additives and their main functions in UV ink printing: