What Are UV-Curable Inks?
UV-curable inks are specially formulated inks that use ultraviolet light to cure—not heat. As soon as the ink is deposited onto a substrate, it's exposed to intense UV light that instantly hardens the ink, bonding it directly to the surface.
Unlike traditional inks that dry via evaporation, UV ink cures chemically, resulting in vibrant, durable finishes on a wide variety of materials. This process is built into modern wide format printers, allowing for instant drying and improved productivity.
UV-Curable Ink Applications
The speed, flexibility, and durability of UV-curable inks make them ideal for a broad range of commercial and industrial printing applications:
✅ Flexographic Printing
Perfect for high-speed label and packaging applications. UV inks cure instantly on flexible plates, ensuring accurate, fast-turnaround production.
✅ Signage & Graphics
UV ink can print on unusual or rigid substrates such as metal, wood, and acrylic—making it an ideal solution for indoor and outdoor signage with high exposure.
✅ Personalised Products
The instant curing process enables high-resolution printing on unique shapes and materials—glass bottles, phone cases, golf balls, and keyrings, just to name a few.
✅ Backlit Films
UV printers can create fade-resistant backlit films for menus, displays, billboards, and illuminated signage. The ink’s resilience ensures lasting brightness and colour integrity.
Benefits of UV-Curable Ink
UV ink technology offers several advantages that make it a top choice for wide format and specialty printing:
⚡ Production Speed
Because UV inks dry instantly as soon as they leave the printhead, there's no waiting time and no smudging—ideal for fast-paced production environments.
🎨 Superior Colour Quality
UV inks retain 100% of their pigment, as there's no solvent evaporation. This results in more vibrant and saturated colours and improved lightfastness.
🛡️ Smear & Scratch Resistance
UV prints offer exceptional durability, making them perfect for long-lasting signage, outdoor displays, and high-touch surfaces.
🔄 Print Consistency
UV-curable inks produce uniform prints across long runs, with consistent colour output and no risk of drying on the nozzles, reducing maintenance needs.
Why Work with Cyklop Needham?
At Cyklop Needham, we develop and manufacture OEM-compatible UV-curable inks tailored for wide format applications. With over 60 years of experience in ink formulation and British manufacturing, we deliver cost-effective, high-performance ink solutions for customers across the globe.
Whether you're printing signage, packaging, promotional goods, or custom merchandise, we can help you:
Need a custom formulation? No problem—our in-house chemists can create UV-curable inks specific to your application, substrate, or printing system.
Get in Touch with Cyklop Needham
📞 Call: +44 (0)1948 662629
📧 Email: enquiries@needham-ink.com
🌐 Website: www.needham-ink.com
Samuel Mcgarrigle : Sep 21, 2023 2:35:16 PM
