Cylindrical Machines for Printing on PET Plastic Bottles

Consumers are reaching more for their favorite reusable water bottles, than for plastic water bottles as we become more informed about our planet, plastic pollution, and the value of recycling. But what about the instances when you forgot to pack one, or times where it isn’t a feasible option? Long days at an amusement park, city tours, and sporting events are times you may find yourself in need.

PET plastics for food and drink packaging have come a long way in terms of recyclability, so despite many of them being “single-use”, they are often seen as a more acceptable option than other single-use materials. If your business is looking to print on PET bottles, Inkcups offers multiple cylindrical machines for printing on PET bottles.

What does PET stand for?

PET is short for polyethylene terephthalate, the chemical name for polyester.

What is PET?

Polyethylene terephthalate is a lightweight, clear, and strong plastic. It is used for a wide variety of packaging of both food and drink products. Not  only is it lightweight and strong, but it is also hygienic, shatterproof, and retains product freshness as well.  PET is an ideal material for food and drink containers as it repels microorganisms and does not corrode.

How Do I Identify PET Bottles and Containers?

PET containers can be identified by the universal recycling symbol surrounding the number “1” found on the bottom of the bottle or container. Often, “PET” or “PETE” can also be found just below the triangle.

PET is used for convenience-sized juice, soda, and water bottles. It is often the material used for packaging peanut butter, salad dressing, and personal care items like shampoo, conditioner, and hand soap.

Take a minute and flip over your water bottle at your desk or check out the bottom of your mouthwash to see the PET symbol for yourself.

PET Bottles Versus Glass Bottles

PET plastic is often chosen over glass simply because it will not break and cause harm to any person or object. However, there are other reasons just as important to consider when deciding between PET plastic and glass.

• Compared to glass, PET can be recycled into more products in the long run.
• PET is lighter than glass resulting in the ability to transport higher quantities at a time, reducing the carbon footprint comparatively.
• Glass production requires more energy and creates more greenhouses gasses than PET.

Sustainability and Safety of PET Products

PET is known for its recyclability, and it is one of the most recycled plastics worldwide. Even though the raw materials for PET are derived from crude oil and natural gas, PET has a more favorable sustainability profile in comparison to glass, aluminum, and other materials.

PET outshines other plastics when it comes to FDA compliance. Only in their unrecycled form are most other plastics FDA compliant and food safe, however, PET is both FDA compliant and food safe in both unrecycled and recycled states.

Ink for Printing on PET Bottles

As PET is a plastic, the typical ink suggested is the S1 UV Inkjet Ink line, which comes in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, White, Varnish, and now Vivid White. Our Vivid White UV Curable Ink is the whitest ink available on the UV ink market. If you previously shied away from printing on dark colors and black substrates, our Vivid White promises to pop due to its high opacity.

Even though we have a suggested ink for specific materials, we at Inkcups always recommend taking the time and care to send in your substrate to us for testing before you begin the printing process.  Together, you and our in-house ink experts will discuss expectations. The ink expert will then test out different combinations of pre-treatments and inks to find the best fit combination for printing on your PET bottles.

Cylindrical Machines for Printing on PET Bottles

While PET plastic can be molded into a variety of different-shaped products, it is most commonly used for bottles. Bottles are cylindrical in nature, and lucky for you, Inkcups specializes in cylindrical inkjet printers. We offer world class support in machines, spare parts availability, and knowledge.

Cylindrical inkjet printers are designed specifically with straight-walled PET bottles in mind. Our inkjet printers for plastic bottles, the Helix®, Helix One®, Helix®+ and Double Helix®  all speedily print full-color, high quality, designs onto your PET bottle one or two at a time (depending on your machine).

When it comes to decorating your PET bottle there are two standard options: printing directly onto the substrate or adhering a label to the surface of a product. Previous techniques like dye sublimation have had their day, but we are no longer limited on that front. With advances in technology, UV cylinder printers such as the Helix® have phased out the need for purchasing all of those consumables and wasting time on dye sublimation.

For high production speeds and output when printing on PET bottles, consider the Revolution® cylindrical inkjet printer. The Revolution is complete with all the offerings of the Helix® or Double Helix® but features a whooping 12 stations, automatic load and unload capability,  output of 600 parts per hour, and optional corona or plasma pre-treatment integrated directly into the unit.

For more information do not hesitate to reach out and ask! Contact us today via our sebsite or call our team at (978) 646-8980 to get started printing on PET bottles.