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Pad Printing is a useful method for printing on substrates that are difficult to screenprint due to being shaped unconventionally. In this Tech Topic, Nazdar technician JR Bennett demonstrates how to operate a one-color silicone-pad printing machine using Nazdar 9600 Ink with NB80 catalyst.
Nazdar technicians use equipment like the pad printer to test Nazdar inks, replicating conditions the ink would undergo when being used by a customer. In the case of Pad Printing, the ink is being tested for quality of transfer from the silicone pad to the substrate and evaluation of the deposited ink's opacity.
The Pad Printing process involves an image being transferred from a metal printing plate via a silicone pad onto a substrate. The unique properties of the silicone pad enable it to pick up the image from a flat plane and transfer it to a variety of surface shapes, such as flat, cylindrical, spherical, concave, and convex.
Pad Printing process (as shown in the demo video above):
- The metal printing plate, which has had the image chemically etched onto it, is removed from the machine.
- The ink is thoroughly mixed, then poured into the ink cup.
- The ink cup is placed onto the plate. A magnet within the ink cup makes placement easier.
- The ink cup and plate are returned to the machine and locked into place.
- The mechanism holding the ink cup is pulled forward, allowing the ink to flood the image.
- The mechanism is pushed back from the image, and the lever is pushed down to press the silicone pad onto the ink, picking up the image.
- The lever is released, and the pad is pulled back over the substrate.
- The pad is pressed onto the substrate, transferring the image.
- The image is evaluated for ink opacity and full deposit onto the substrate.