There are significant differences between screen printing silicone and pad printing silicone in many aspects. The following is a detailed comparison of the two:
1. Definition and Principle
Screen printing silicone: Screen printing silicone is a highly transparent organic silicone material with good heat resistance, aging resistance, and oxidation resistance, suitable for a variety of printing processes. Its printing principle is to penetrate the ink into the substrate through the mesh on the screen printing plate to form patterns and text.
Pad printing silicone: Pad printing silicone is mainly used to make pad printing rubber heads and is a key material in the pad printing process. Pad printing is to transfer the pattern engraved on the steel plate to the workpiece through the action of the rubber head, that is, to make the steel plate into a gravure, and then transfer it to the printed object through a special silicone printing head.
2. Scope of application
Screen printing silicone: It is suitable for a variety of printing substrates such as glass, ceramics, and plastics. It is widely used in decorative and functional printing in the fields of home, automobiles, and electronics. Especially on printed materials used outdoors such as car logos and signboards, screen printing silicone has excellent weather resistance and high temperature resistance.
Pad printing silicone: Mainly used for printing irregular patterns such as plastic toys, electroplating products, electronic toys, trademarks, communication equipment, craft gifts and stationery. It can print text, graphics and simple images on the surface of flat and regular curved materials.
3. Performance characteristics
Silk screen printing silicone:
It has high adhesion and can be firmly attached to the printing substrate.
Good weather resistance, can maintain its printing effect and service life in different environments.
High transparency, almost no change in the color and gloss of the substrate, making the printing effect more realistic.
High temperature resistance, can maintain its stability and printing effect at high temperatures.
Pad printing silicone:
Fine quality, no impurities, good resilience.
Good oiling and oiling effect, clear pad printing pattern.
Low viscosity, good fluidity, easy to process and use.
It has good durable wear performance and non-deformation characteristics.
4. Cost and application limitations
Silk screen printing silicone: The cost is relatively low, but the production of screen printing plates and ink consumption also need to be considered. It has advantages when printing large-area patterns, but it is more difficult for products with curved surfaces or irregular shapes.
Pad printing silicone: The cost is relatively high, mainly reflected in the production and replacement of silicone heads. The silicone head needs to be customized according to the shape and size of the product, and it is easy to wear during use. However, the pad printing process is suitable for various products with complex shapes and uneven surfaces.
In summary, there are significant differences between screen printing silicone and pad printing silicone in terms of definition, scope of application, performance characteristics and cost. Which silicone material to choose depends on the specific printing needs and product characteristics.