What to Consider When Selecting a Pad Printing Machine
There different types of pad printing machines available on the market. To select a pad printer that will work best for your needs consider the following factors.
The first thing you want to do is understand the type of products you currently decorate and want to decorate in future. It's important to recognize if a single color or multicolor pad printing machine is the best choice.
You also need to consider the size requirements for your typical artwork. A good rule of thumb is an image size that is 10mm less than the diameter of the ink cup.
All pad printing machines must be designed to have the stroke to reach the imprint area. Simply put, if you are printing in the center of a large part you will also require a bigger machine.
If you are going to print large or multiple images they typically require very large printing pads. It is important that the pad printing machines can handle these large pads and has the capability to compress them fully for high quality prints.
As for production volumes, keep in mind that the speeds given on all specification sheets are listed at cycle rates for the machines; actual production rates are usually 20% less due to product handling and other external factors.
Since pad printing is such a flexible and productive decorating method you may encounter many challenging applications. This is when you want to think carefully about what supplier you pick in pad printing because service and support of your pad printing machine will be of great value.
ICN Expands and... Speaks Spanish!
New Southwest Office is located in Tucson, Arizona. It is run by
Victor Uzarraga who has 15 years of experience in the screen and pad print industry.