Exploring Specialty Inks for Screen Printing | DIC

Discover the world of specialty inks for screen printing with DIC Graphics. Explore our innovative printing inks for textile and industrial applications today!

This article tells you about specialty inks. We use simple words and short sentences. We also use bold words, lists, and tables to help you read.

We will talk about many things:

• What are specialty inks?
• What types of inks do we have?
• How do you choose the right ink?
• What are some problems and fixes?
• Real examples and cases
• What DIC Graphics does
• What is coming in the future

We also share our best screen printing techniques and ink formulation ideas. Let us start!

1. Introduction

Welcome! You are here to learn about specialty inks for screen printing. You may use specialty inks for art, clothes, signs, and more. They make your prints bright, fun, and safe.

We know you want to read simple words. We also know things like metallic ink pigments, thermochromic ink applications, glow-in-the-dark inks, and UV-curable inks sound big. They help you make strong and shiny prints. At DIC Graphics, we make inks like these and many more. Our inks help with plastisol ink properties and water-based ink advantages. They bring eco-friendly screen printing to life.

Use our best screen printing techniques on different subscripts. Our work fits with ink opacity and coverage needs and shows color vibrancy in textiles. You will see our work use high-density ink textures and fluorescent ink visibility. Our tools help with ink adhesion testing for substrate compatibility. We also solve textile printing challenges with heat transfer inks and discharge printing methods.

Learn more about our work in our internal pages:

• Check out our Magenta Specialty Ink page.
• Read about our Black Specialty Ink.
• See our Extra Black Specialty Ink.
• Visit the Purplish-Red Specialty Ink page.

2. Types of Specialty Inks for Screen Printing

Here, we list types of inks that you can use. We will use bold words and lists.

2.1. Metallic Inks

• They use metallic ink pigments.
• They show a shiny look.
• They are great for luxury packaging and on clothes.
• They use metallic foil printing and nanoparticle ink technology.

2.2. Thermochromic & Photochromic Inks

• They change color with heat transfer or light.
• They work in thermochromic ink applications.
• They are used in labels and fun toys.
• They add a twist to your prints.

2.3. Glow-in-the-Dark & Fluorescent Inks

• These inks glow in the dark.
• They use glow-in-the-dark inks and fluorescent ink visibility.
• They are fun and good for safety gear.

2.4. UV-Curable Inks

• They dry fast with UV light.
• They are eco-friendly screen printing inks.
• They are good for many substrate compatibility tasks.
• They follow curing temperature guidelines.
• They use UV-curable inks, and work on glass, metal, or plastic.

2.5. Puff & High-Density Inks

• They give a 3D feel.
• They are called puff ink dimensional effects and high-density ink textures.
• They make prints look bold and fun.

2.6. Water-based and Plastisol Inks

• Water-based ink advantages help the Earth.
• Plastisol ink properties give a deep print.
• They use color vibrancy in textiles and thick-film ink deposition.

2.7. Other Types and Effects

• Fluorescent ink visibility keeps images bright.
• Ink adhesion testing ensures prints stick.
• Stencil creation for screens is very important.
• Screen mesh count optimization helps design clear prints.
• Squeegee pressure adjustment and ink viscosity control are key.
• Air-dry vs. heat-cure inks are compared.
• Digital screen separation helps in design.

3. Choosing the Right Specialty Ink: 5 Key Factors

Here are five important things to think about:

1. Substrate Compatibility
   • Think of your paper, cloth, or metal.
   • Check for plastisol, conductive inks for electronics, and more.
2. Durability Needs
   • Your print must last.
   • Look at wash-fastness in apparel, abrasion resistance testing, and ink bleeding prevention.
3. Environmental Compliance
   • Choose eco-friendly screen printing inks.
   • Look for OEKO-TEX Eco-Passport, low-VOC ink compliance, and phthalate-free plastisol inks.
4. Curing Method
   • Think about UV-curable inks, heat-cure inks, and post-print heat pressing.
   • Follow curing temperature guidelines.
5. Cost vs. Performance
   • Balance custom ink development with a good price.
   • Consider cost-effective ink solutions and bulk ink purchasing.

Other terms you may see are:

• Micro-registration adjustments,
• Digital screen separation,
• Screen prepress workflows, and
• Automated ink dispensing.

4. Common Challenges & Solutions

We know you might face some problems. Here are some common ones and how to fix them.

4.1. Adhesion Issues

• Problem: Ink may not stick.
• Solution: Use a primer formulation like Primer-EX™ additive. This helps in ink adhesion testing, and has been shown to work well. For example, 58% of screen printers had problems with ink sticking. Our solution boosted adhesion by 65%.

4.2. Color Matching Problems

• Problem: Colors may not match.
• Solution: Use Pantone color matching to get the right tone. You can also use spot color vs. CMYK prints. This helps with 4-color process printing.

4.3. Sustainable Ink Needs

• Problem: Traditional inks hurt the Earth.
• Solution: Use water-based inks or UV-curable inks. Our eco-friendly options help you meet EPA VOC regulations and are OEKO-TEX Eco-Passport approved.

4.4. Screen Clogging and Ink Dry Time

• Problem: Ink may clog the screen.
• Solution: Use screen reclaiming processes and look at ink drying time factors. Adjust squeegee pressure and screen mesh count optimization.

4.5. Consistency and Viscosity

• Problem: Ink may be too thick or too thin.
• Solution: Use ink viscosity control. Keep to curing temperature guidelines and adjust squeegee pressure for a smooth print.

5. Real-World Applications & Case Studies

Real cases show how ink works in the field. We use a table to show this.

6. DIC Graphics’ Specialty Ink Innovations

DIC Graphics is a world leader. We use smart ways to make inks. Our work is full of custom ink development and binder formulations.

• We lead in sustainable ink certifications.
• We use phthalate-free plastisol and low-VOC ink compliance options.
• Our UV-curable inks are in our UV-Graphicure™ series.
• We also make anti-counterfeiting inks like INVIA™ Secure.
• We work with art and industry to improve edge definition, red shift color effects, and ink bleeding prevention.
• Our inks work with digital screen separation and micro-registration adjustments for great prints.

We serve many sectors:

• Apparel companies like Nike, and Adidas.
• Packaging and pharma firms like Novo Nordisk.
• Industrial giants like Panasonic and 3M.
• Chemical firms like BASF SE, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., and Huntsman Corporation.
• We work with Marabu GmbH & Co. KG, Sun Chemical Corporation, Nazdar Ink Technologies, and Union Ink Company.
• We know 3M, Pantone LLC, Sericol, Permaset Aqua, and many more.

Other companies in the field include:

• Matsui International
• Rutland Plastics
• SGIA, PRINTING United Alliance, M&R Printing Equipment, ROQ Automatic Presses, Anatol Equipment Manufacturing
• Epson, Brother International, Pirate’s Press, Gildan Activewear
• ASTM International, ISO, EPA VOC regulations, Kiian Group, Rutland Inks
• PolyOne Corporation, International Coatings, Hubron International, MagnaColours, Printful, Kornit Digital, Mimaki
• Saati, Murakami Screen, Ulano Corporation, CCI Europe Chemicals, Fujifilm, Leonardo Software
• Screen Printing Magazine, ISS Long Beach, Ink Kitchen, A.W.T. World Trade, CCI Chemicals Belgium, Siegwerk, Dow Chemical Company.

We also work with chameleon pigments, silicone ink flexibility, security ink features, metal substrate printing, wood printing techniques, glass ink adhesion, and EMI shielding inks. Our work covers hybrid ink systems, binder formulations, and nano-particle ink technology.

7. Future Trends in Specialty Inks

The world of inks is not still. New ideas are coming fast. Look at these trends:

• Nanotechnology Advances:
  • We see nano-particle ink technology and self-healing inks.
  • They give a new look to prints.
• Smart Inks:
  • Inks can hold embedded QR codes and NFC-enabled prints.
  • They help in the digital age.
• Circular Economy:
  • Our inks are biodegradable.
  • They bring a circular economy to life.
• 3D Screen Printing and Hybrid Systems:
  • We see direct-to-garment printing synergy with 3D printing.
  • New methods mix screen prepress workflows and automated ink dispensing.
• Expanded Substrate Compatibility:
  • More uses for ceramic ink printing, industrial ink applications, conductive inks for electronics, and fine art screen printing.
• Improved Quality Controls:
  • Better ink shelf life optimization and red shift color effects help many brands.
  • Micro-registration adjustments and static control in printing add to smooth operations.

8. Conclusion & Actionable Takeaways

We have learned a lot. Here are the big points:

• Specialty inks are key tools for screen printers.
• There are many types: metallic inks, thermochromic inks, glow-in-the-dark inks, UV-curable inks, puff inks, and more.
• Think of substrate compatibility, durability, environmental standards, curing methods, and cost when you choose an ink.
• Many challenges, like adhesion issues and color matching, have clear solutions.
• Real cases from Nike, Coca-Cola, and Panasonic show that our inks work well.
• DIC Graphics leads with ink innovations, like our UV-Graphicure™ series and INVIA™ Secure inks.
• The future brings new ideas with nanotechnology, smart inks, and circular economy moves.

Take action today. Learn more of our work by visiting our pages on Magenta Specialty Ink, Black Specialty Ink, and Extra Black Specialty Ink. You can also see our Purplish-Red Specialty Ink page for more ideas.