UV inkjet printers make tumblers, bottles and cups look great on day one. Then the parts go through a dishwasher and the ink starts to chip at the edges. This post explains why that happens on metal and glass, and what shops do to make the print last.
Why UV inkjet ink chips on tumblers and bottles
Screen printing inks are baked or solvent based. They bite into the surface and cure hard in an oven. UV inkjet ink is different. It is jetted onto the surface and cured in seconds under an LED lamp. The ink never gets a chance to bond to the part. It only sits on top.
Stainless steel, anodized aluminum and glass are smooth and dense. There is nothing on the surface for the ink to grip. Heat, hot water and detergent work under the edge of the print, and the image lifts off in flakes.
Where it shows up first
Flame treatment alone is not enough
Flame treatment works well on plastic. It raises the surface energy so ink wets out and sticks. On glass and metal it does not solve the problem for UV inkjet. The surface still has nothing for the ink to lock into. The part needs a bonding layer that both the substrate and the ink can hold on to.
Silica pretreatment for UV inkjet
The fix is a thin silica layer applied just before printing. A controlled flame carries a silica compound onto the part. It bonds to glass, metal or plastic and leaves a surface the UV inkjet ink can anchor to. Prints then survive repeated dishwasher cycles without chipping or fading.
Our FieroSil™ inkjet pretreatment system does this in line. The part passes under the treater, goes to the printer, then cures under a UV LED system. It runs on cylindrical parts like tumblers and bottles as well as flat parts.
How a treated tumbler runs
Why shops choose FieroSil
- Built in the USA. Designed and built in Farmington, Connecticut, with the silica solution and parts sourced in the United States. Quick technical help and a steady supply of solution.
- A fraction of the price. FieroSil costs a fraction of the European silica systems most inkjet printers are quoted.
- Fits your line. Supplied as a one up unit with a vacuum platen, or built onto your conveyor or rotary printer.
- Private label. Equipment makers can offer FieroSil under their own name.
Bottles and glassware too
The same system treats wine bottles, spirit bottles, growlers, pint glasses and candle jars. If you already print cylindrical parts on a screen printer, the bottle printing page shows how we set those up.
Getting started
Printing with UV inkjet on tumblers, bottles or metal and the ink is not holding up? Tell us about your parts and your printer. Our engineers will spec a FieroSil setup that fits your line.
Or call 860-677-6400.
Related post. Inkjet printing on bottles and drinkware without chipping ink