UV Printing Technology Explained

When you buy a car, what’s the first thing you do? Research. House? Research. New ERP system for your company? Research. Choosing a UV printer should be no different. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about ultraviolet digital printing so you can make an informed decision for your business.

Is UV printing the right fit for your operations? What exactly is UV printing, and how does it work? We’ll answer these questions and more. From the fundamentals to advanced considerations, this page is a valuable resource whether you’re new to UV technology or an experienced print professional.

Explore the Process, Benefits, and use Cases of Ultraviolet Digital Printing in Modern Production

We’ll cover:

The mechanics of UV inkjet printing
Key features to look for in a printer
Types of UV printers and inks
Application examples across industries
Tips, tools, and questions to ask during your research

UV printing is especially relevant for commercial printers, contract decorators, promotional product specialists, and those currently using competitive methods like screen printing or DTF. Whether you’re printing on drinkware, electronics, packaging, or anything in between, this guide will help you understand the innovative and creative applications of UV printing technology?

What is UV Inkjet Printing?

UV inkjet printing uses two key aspects: UV-curable inks and ultraviolet (UV) light. The ink is jetted directly onto a substrate and instantly cured (hardened) using UV light, locking each droplet precisely in place. This results in vibrant, high-resolution prints with crisp lines, fine details, and no ink bleed.
The process starts with a digital file: either vector artwork or a high-resolution image, sent to the printer’s software. The printhead (the heart of the ink delivery system) deposits tiny droplets of ink in a highly controlled pattern, usually using CMYK or more color channels. Not all printheads are created equal; different technologies allow for printing on a wide variety of materials and shapes.
Because prints are applied directly to the substrate, there’s no need for transfer films or excess paper waste. UV inks also generate very low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to solvent-based inks, making the process more environmentally friendly.

How Long will a UV Print Last?

Talk about a loaded question! There are so many different variables in digital UV printing that influence how long a print will last, and many of those factors are actually within your control.

Let’s look at three different buckets of products that can be digitally decorated: a cylindrical drinkware product, a promotional product, and a flatbed printed product.

How Long will a UV Print Last on Glass Drinkware?

One of the most important factors in determining the longevity of a UV print is what the customer needs. For example, in the case of digitally decorated glassware, a common requirement is the ability to withstand repeated dishwasher cycles without the print flaking or delaminating. This is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Instead, the customer often specifies how many dishwasher cycles their product needs to survive in order to meet their standards for durability.

When it comes to adhesion testing methods, many glass companies follow multiple tests, including crosshatch, tape, and scratch tests, but they often add dishwasher testing as an additional measure of real-world durability. Typically, for residential dishwashers, which are actually more aggressive than commercial ones, glassware is expected to pass as many as 250 dishwasher cycles without any signs of ink degradation. If the print survives that, it passes.

Ultimately, the number of dishwasher cycles a product must withstand is dictated by the customer. Whether it is a promotional product that only needs to endure a handful of washes or a retail-ready glassware item that must maintain its appearance for years, UV inkjet printers can be adjusted to meet those expectations. It all comes down to understanding the performance standards required and selecting the right ink and adhesion test methods accordingly.

Learn More about Cylindrical Inkjet Printers

How Long will a UV Print Last on Promotional Products?

A well-branded, useful, or fun promotional product is hopefully kept for years, offering lasting brand recognition. However, many promotional products are designed to be budget-friendly giveaways, which means they often prioritize cost over long-term durability. Despite this, there are still basic adhesion standards that should be met to ensure the print holds up through normal use.

For promotional items, we typically recommend adhesion testing methods such as the tape adhesion test and the scratch method. The tape test uses pressure-sensitive tape applied to the printed surface and peeled off at a sharp angle. If no ink delamination occurs, the print passes. This method simulates light wear and tear, such as someone scratching the surface with their nail or thumb.

The scratch method, using a precision tool called a Sclerometer, helps assess how well the ink bonds under pressure or abrasion. If the ink doesn’t lift or flake under the tool’s drag, it’s considered a success.

To improve the likelihood of passing these tests, especially on difficult substrates, using the correct ink series for the material is crucial. Additionally, surface preparation plays a major role. A simple wipe-on primer can significantly improve adhesion performance, even on tricky or textured surfaces. While promotional products may not need to last forever, ensuring they look good for a reasonable time in a consumer’s hands makes all the difference for brand perception.

Learn More about UV Flatbed Printers

How Long will a UV Print Last on a Flat Product?

Flat products cover a broad range of substrates and use cases: from frisbees and luggage tags to premium coolers and equipment panels. These items are often higher-cost, which means they carry higher expectations for quality and longevity. For that reason, adhesion becomes a critical factor, not just a nice-to-have.

In these scenarios, brands often require more aggressive adhesion testing to ensure their products hold up in real-world conditions. One such method is the Crosshatch A or B test, which combines a physical incision into the ink layer using a razor blade in a crosshatch or “X” pattern, followed by tape testing. This simulates the kind of wear that might occur if the product is dropped, scraped, or exposed to rough handling. A failure occurs if the ink peels or delaminates in the test zone.

For flat products made of complex or coated materials, a combination of substrate-specific ink, proper surface treatment, and priming is usually necessary to meet adhesion standards. In many cases, Crosshatch B is the go-to for more demanding brands and applications due to its higher level of stringency.

Because these products often represent more substantial brand investments, ensuring the print maintains its quality over time is essential. By selecting the right adhesion test methods, paired with optimized ink and primer solutions, brands can confidently deliver flat products that not only look great but stay that way through repeated use.

Learn More about Specialty Flatbed Printers

How does UV Printing Work?

There’s a bit of prep that happens before you hit “print” on your UV printer. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what the process really looks like:

Pick Your Product
What are you printing on? Whether it’s a tumbler, a phone case, a cosmetic container or something totally custom, your substrate (aka the item you’re printing on) is the first thing to lock in. Shape, material and surface treatment all matter. Some materials may require pre-treatment to ensure proper ink adhesion.

Create Your Artwork
Next comes the design. Build your file using professional design software like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. To be ready to print, artwork needs to be in PDF, EPS, or tiff files, as long as it is vectored. If you are printing photorealistic images, make sure that the it is a high-resolution file, at least 300 dpi. Keep your brand in mind and make sure the file is ready to print: the right resolution, color mode and size are key here. Need custom colors? Color matching and proofing come into play to stay true to your brand.

Choose the Right Printer
With product and artwork ready, it’s time to explore the types of UV printers that best suit your needs. UV printers come in three main styles: cylindrical (for round items like bottles and tumblers), flatbed (for flat or irregularly shaped objects), and conveyorized (for high-volume production lines). Each has the same core UV printing technology, but they’re tailored for different applications.

Set Up the Printer

The first step to setting up an inkjet printer would be creating, or getting tooling made. Digital flatbed printing a bed full of products may require additional setup as well. Inkcups provides comprehensive documentation to walk you through the steps for template building, and has additional resources of tutorial videos, available to our customers, on the Support Hub.
Load your artwork into the digital inkjet printer’s software and place the product securely on the print bed (or mandrel, in the case of cylindrical printing). Remember that there is no universal ink, so UV Ink Series are specific to different applications. The specific ink for your application needs to be loaded into the machine before you start the print.

Start Printing
The printer takes the digital file and instructs the printhead to release UV-curable ink in microscopic droplets directly onto the surface of the product. As each layer of ink is applied, UV lamps follow close behind, instantly curing the ink. This prevents smudging and allows for razor-sharp detail and rich color.

Quality Check
Before calling it done, inspect the product. Check for clarity, alignment, and color accuracy. If needed, tweak your settings or run another test print. One way to reduce product waste is to put sheets of vellum on your product to run the first initial test prints, this protects the product in case color profiling or registration is off. Once it passes inspection, it’s ready for printing and packing. One of the key benefits of digitally printing is the fact that it is instantly cured. There is no need for a post-cure or separate dryer. Print, pack and ship.

While every setup is a little different, especially depending on your printer model or material type, these are the key steps decorators across industries follow. Whether you’re printing promotional items, consumer goods or packaging, this process helps ensure quality and consistency with every print.

Key Benefits of UV Printing Technology

Learn more about the Benefits of Digital Printing on Glass with Inkcups

Adhesion

UV digital printing can be optimized to see long lasting results on things like drinkware that have adhesion requirements.

Wide Application Range

Sporting goods, promotional products, drinkware, mugs, industrial parts, power tools, children’s toys, stationery, pens, cosmetics, edibles, cannabis holders, tote bags, candle holders, and so much more.

Learn More About Adhesion Testing

Environmentally Friendly

Compared to traditional printing methods, digital printing offers a more sustainable solution. It significantly reduces excess inventory, eliminates the need for transfer materials like paper (as seen in dye-sublimation), and avoids the harsh chemicals and solvents often used in screen printing. Digital printers also require less floor space, consume fewer utilities, and contribute to a lower overall carbon footprint. For high-quality output with environmentally friendly advantages, digital printing is a smart, forward-thinking choice.

Find more Digital Applications

Speed

Digital printing is fast and efficient! Artwork size vastly impacts printing speeds, but on the Helix ONE®, print a full color, CMYK image tip to tip in about one minute.

Learn More about the Compact Helix ONE®

What Other Methods of Decoration are out There?

DTF (Direct to Fabric)

Screen printing, also known as silk screening or silk printing, involves transferring an image onto a substrate using a squeegee on a nylon screen. It is an ideal choice for those seeking to print durable, high-volume runs of simple designs on reusable bags. There are three main types of screen printers: rotary screen printers, flat screen printers, and hand screen printing.

DTG (Direct to Garment)

When it comes to decorating natural fabrics, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is an excellent choice. This process leverages digital technology to achieve high-quality prints by directly spraying ink onto the garment’s surface. The water-based ink seamlessly integrates with the fabric during printing and necessitates an additional drying step. Notably, this approach is considered sustainable compared to other methods, while still delivering exceptional full-color printing.

Adhesive labels

Or, most used for high volume single use bottles, spirit bottles, and candle holders, this proves to be a very cost effective solution. This method of decoration requires strong and accurate forecasting and can easily be under- or over- ordered.

How to Digitally Decorate Candle Holders

Sublimation

Is a process similar to digital heat transfers, but with a distinct end result. Unlike digital heat transfers, which add an additional layer to the material, sublimation allows the ink to become part of the fabric itself. This integration gives the bag a more natural feel and appearance.

Sublimation Vs. UV Digital Printing

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