To UV or Not to UV. . .

Bob Waddington, general manager for UVitec Printing Ink, believes that UV inks are a good fit for markets such as these, “because they print sharper, enable the printer to utilize higher press speeds, and enable the printer to finish converting immediately after printing.”

In looking at the use of UV inks, Duncan addresses the higher acquisition cost of UV inks. “Since UV inks are more expensive than so-called ‘conventional’ inks, the application must require some performance property from the UV ink in order to pay the cost. This will normally be the immediate drying that one gets from UV inks, their sharper printing, their higher chemical/moisture resistance, broad adhesion properties, or their ability to UV coat in-line.”