What is direct UV printing?
On a flexible material, the ink can penetrate the surface. On a Dibond panel, a Foam PVC or a Acrylic, nothing absorbs: the ink has to hold on its own. That is the job of direct UV printing.
The machine deposits the ink onto the panel laid flat, and ultraviolet lamps cure it immediately: it goes from liquid to solid in a fraction of a second, with no drying and no evaporation. The visual is printed directly into the body of the substrate, with no intermediate adhesive.
What it changes
- Durability : the cured ink resists scratches and outdoor exposure, with no lamination required.
- The rendering : the print conforms to the material. On a Brushed Dibond, the aluminum remains visible in the light areas of the graphic.
- White : on a transparent or colored material, a layer of white underprint is printed under the visual to restore its colors.
There is an alternative: printing an adhesive vinyl and then laminating it onto the panel. It is the right choice when the visual will need to be replaced without changing the substrate. Our product sheets indicate the process used for each rigid substrate in the range.