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The New Vacuum-formable
UV-Curing Screen Printing Ink.
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Some printed plastics are shaped
after printing, either by folding, or vacuum or drape moulding.
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Typical products include sports helmets,
household appliances, toys, vending machine panels, and signs for both
indoor and outdoor use. Screen ink films have to withstand such forming or
deep-drawing applications without cracking or visible thinning of the ink
film, and conventional solvent-based screen inks have traditionally met
these requirements. However, when UV curing inks were developed it soon
seemed that cured UV ink films would only have limited success in meeting
forming requirements. Originally, it was thought that the very nature of a
heavily cross-linked UV ink film would prevent deep draw requirements
being met at all. Today, though, due to the development of new UV raw
materials especially of monomers used in combination with suitable
artificial resins it is now possible to develop UV inks for deep
drawing use. The race has been on to offer fully vacuum formable UV curing
inks, and the various claims of satisfactory performance had been found
questionable. Until now, that is, because one new ink, Vacuplast, is
showing excellent suitability for the production of deep drawn materials.
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Vacuplast - much
commercial work has already been undertaken with the new ink -
the specimen prints do much to convince printers and moulders of the
ink's
outstanding abilities
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Vacuplast VAC is a 1-component UV curing
screen ink suitable for printing onto various plastics like PVC,
polycarbonate, styrene, ABS, PETG and even particularly difficult
substrates like acrylics. If optimally processed, Vacuplast ink films can
be readily deep drawn in excess of 20cm. This not only applies to one
layer prints but also to multiple layers, which do not crack or
colour-thin¹ when formed. Such films are readily cured too. If
processed with a 150 polyester fabric they require a curing energy of 200
500 mJ/cm², although highly opaque colours such as white and black will
require more radiation for complete curing.
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High opacity, with virtually no thinning
on draws of up to 15 20 cm and excellent adhesion to a wide range of
plastics are just two of the benefits of
this new Coates Screen ink. Launched last November, and already subjected
to extreme and exhaustive trials, Vacuplast is an ink with the
inherent advantages of UV curing, as well as excellent cold-embrittlement
properties with the highest cure speeds attainable in this demanding
field.
As mentioned, suitable substrates
include acrylic, ABS, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and PVC, and the inks
are available in standard C-Mix 2000 colours and a process set. Already,
as well as in signage, toys, and the ubiquitous cycle helmet, the
capabilities of this remarkable ink are freeing up design constraints in
expanding areas such as retail display. For anyone engaged in print for
vacuum forming, the message is clear; Vacuplast offers a step forward in
job capability.
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