Serie “Todo sobre tinta”: Tinta Dura | Inkcups

Digital printing is a process that utilizes various types of ink, presses, and printers to turn your text, images, and graphics into beautiful finishes pieces ranging from small imprinted items to large full-color signage. While there is a wide range of machinery that can be used to produce your final printed pieces, there are also a number of inks that can be used to achieve the desired goal.

What is Hard Ink?

Hard ink is an ink that is applied directly to a substrate or print medium. The term “hard” refers to the type of substrate the ink is intended for. Hard ink will not stretch or bend well. Often, the ink will crack under strain. Hard ink is best for hard substrates because while not flexible, the ink has incredible adhesion properties and extremely high abrasion resistance. Hard ink can be used for both indoor and outdoor products.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Hard Ink

The ability for hard inks to dry quickly as well as the added durability it provides makes it ideal for pieces that are subject to such conditions that may provide for scratching and exposure to chemical solvents. Another benefit of hard ink is that it produces very bright and vibrant colors, which can make it the perfect choice for printing large graphics and photos where the colors need to pop.

While hard ink is beneficial for many applications, there are some disadvantages. Hard ink is not flexible. It will crack if the substrate is stretched or bent too much. Flexible ink would be more suitable.

What Types of Printers Utilize Hard Inks?

Use hard ink with a variety of digital printing equipment as well as a number of large-format printing machines.

What Types of Products Are Hard Inks Ideal For?

The use of hard inks is best on solid and hard materials including:

• Card Media
• Resin Media
• Molded Plastics

Hard inks are highly recommended for materials or pieces that will be put under heavy wear and run the risk of suffering abrasions, scratching, or overall rough wear. Some of the popular uses and applications of printing with hard ink include:

• Hard promotional items that will incur a lot of use such as golf balls and pens
• Printing on glass, wood, or ceramics
• For signage that will be exposed to or in an environment with chemicals
• Nameplates for desks and doors
• Printing logos on appliances
• Printing containers that hold chemical
• Metal and aluminum signage

What Industries Commonly Use Hard Ink Printed Pieces?

There are many industries that can find great benefits with the use of hard inks for their printed pieces. Some of the industries where the application is most often used are:

• Promotional products
• Sporting-goods
• Toy manufacturers
• Industrial
• Retail stores with indoor/outdoor signage
• Tradeshow display manufacturers

When looking for printed pieces that need to last, have bold and vibrant colors, and need to hold up against rough conditions, hard ink can be the best option when choosing your ink type. With proper protection, hard ink can be used on a variety of substrates from promotional products to signage.