Solvent, UV, latex inks: what are the differences?
Three families of inks share large-format digital printing. Each dries in its own way, and it is this drying method that determines the use.
Solvent inks
The pigment is carried by a solvent that lightly bites into the surface of the material, then evaporates. The ink becomes one with the material: this is what gives prints on banner and adhesive their outdoor durability and resistance to UV and rain. Eco-solvent inks, lower in volatile compounds, have replaced the older formulas in most workshops.
UV inks
Here the ink does not dry, it hardens: ultraviolet lamps cure it the instant it touches the substrate. A decisive advantage: it does not need an absorbent substrate. This is the process behind direct UV printing on rigid substrates: Dibond, PVC, Acrylic, without laminating a printed adhesive onto it.
Latex inks
Pigments suspended in water, fixed by a polymer film under heat. Odorless and solvent-free, they are suitable for sensitive locations, schools, hospitals, and store interiors, with intermediate outdoor durability.
In all cases, the perceived quality depends first and foremost on the file supplied: sufficient resolution and CMYK colors. Our page what resolution for a print gives the reference points.