The Difference Between UV Ink and Conventional Ink

Conventional ink requires solvent evaporation or oxidation with air to dry. The ink layer penetrates the material and becomes thinner. Drying time can take several hours to several days, often requiring dedicated drying space.

UV ink can be stacked and cut immediately after curing, eliminating the risk of smudging. Order turnaround time is shortened by over 50% (e.g., a 12,000-sheet order takes about 1 day with UV printing versus about 3 days with conventional ink).

Conventional ink, due to slow drying, often leads to accumulation of semi-finished products, occupying workshop space. Printing speed must also be controlled to avoid poor drying.

UV ink involves no solvent evaporation, with VOC emissions being ≤10mg/m³ (far below the national standard of 30mg/m²). No additional investment in exhaust gas treatment equipment is needed.

Conventional solvent-based inks have a solvent content of about 30%-50%, which evaporates. This not only pollutes the environment but can also pose health risks to operators, requiring supporting environmental protection facilities.

UV ink is suitable for various substrates like PE, PP, PET, metal, and glass. It offers not only vibrant color but is especially suited for high-end packaging printing.

After curing, UV ink produces a film layer that is wear-resistant (withstands over 500 abrasion tests), scratch-resistant, and UV-resistant. Matte/gloss effects are long-lasting.

Conventional ink, after drying, produces a relatively soft film layer that is prone to scuffing. Color stability is greatly affected by environmental humidity and temperature, and fading may occur over long-term storage.