Pad Printing

This is a printing process that can transfer text and artwork onto a product. We use a silicon pad to transfer the ink and have an assortment of colors on hand at your request.

We can pad print your items with the graphics you choose (part numbers, your logo, or icons, etc). If you provide the artwork you’d like to add, we can include pad printing in your quote.

Pad Printing Guide

Follow the following step-by-step guide for successful pad printing operations. If you have any trouble with the printing results, view our troubleshooting guide.

	1: PREPARE THE PAD PRINTING PLATE Using an alignment overlay, align the film onto the plate. Be sure the artwork fits inside the ink cup and is square with the sides of the plate. If the artwork is too large you may have to split it up so it fits neatly within the ink cup. Try to avoid placing the artwork too close to the edges of the ink cup. Because the film goes on top of the plate, a film negative (reversed image of the artwork) should be used so the printed side of the film is against the plate.

	2: FIRST EXPOSURE (~4:15 minutes) Remove the alignment overlay and lower the velum cover and turn on the vacuum pump. This holds the artwork firmly against the plate. The first exposure hardens the polymer everywhere except where the artwork on the film blocks the light, leaving unexposed polymer where the image will be etched. Your first exposure time should be long enough to completely harden the polymer but not too long, otherwise light will leak around the artwork and start to harden the polymer in your etched areas. We expose our plates for about 4:15 minutes. This time will depend on the plates you are using and your exposure unit.

	3: SECOND EXPOSURE (~37 seconds) Remove the film negative from the plate and replace with a tint screen. A tint screen allows light through a dot pattern (usually 200 lines per inch density). This creates a grid of dots in the etched areas of the plate, allowing for an even fill of ink during printing. The polymer develops from the bottom of the plate up so the longer the exposure time, the more the polymer develeops, making the final etch shallower. For a deeper etch, decrease the 2nd exposure time by a second or two. Once again, use the velum cover and vacuum pump to hold the tint screen securely against the plate and be sure the printed side of the tint screen lays on the plate.

	4: RINSE THE PLATE Some plates must be rinsed in alcohol, others are rinsed in water. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. All unexposed polymer must be rinsed, revealing your etched artwork on the plate.

	5: DRY THE PLATE The plate should be blown off with compressed air to remove all excess water, then baked at 180° for 15 minutes to evaporate all excess moisture.

	6: POST EXPOSURE The plate should be placed back into the exposure unit for at least 15 minutes (the vacuum pump is not necessary for this step). Post exposure makes the plate harder so it will resist scratching as the ceramic ring on the ink cup slides back and forth.

	7: INSPECT THE PLATE Once the plate is finished, check the artwork for any imperfections that may affect your printing. Repeat previous steps for creating a plate if you have a bad plate.

	8: PLACE THE PLATE IN THE INK CUP TRAY Place the plate in the base plate of the ink cup tray making sure it is square. Tighten the ink cup holder fixing the screws to hold the plate securely during printing.

	9: TIGHTEN THE PLATE IN THE FIXTURE Align the plate to the fixture by making sure it is "square." Tighten the screws securely so the artwork won't move around during the printing stage.

	10: MIX THE INK Be sure the ink and additives such as hardener or thinner are compatible with the substrate you are printing on and mix the ink according to the manufacturer's directions.

	11: CHECK THE INK VISCOSITY Once the ink is mixed, check the viscosity to get the most out of your printing.

	12: FILL THE INK CUP Remove the magnet from the ink cup and fill the ink cup with the ink you have mixed.

	13: PLACE THE INK CUP ON THE INK CUP TRAY Turn the ink cup tray upside down on top of you ink cup making sure the ink cup centered on the plate. Turn the ink cup tray with the ink cup attached over so the ink cup is on top holding the ink cup against the plate as you do so. Now that the ink cup is on top of the plate, reinsert the magnet and screw it about half way down.

	14: INSTALL THE INK CUP TRAY Install the ink cup tray on the pad printing machine and tighten the base plate fixing screws. Lower the ink cup holder so the arms are on either side of the ink cup and tighten the ink cup holder. Cycle the machine, adjusting the magnet until you get a complete flood without pooling around the artwork.

	15: ATTACH THE PRINTING PAD Attach the printing pad and align it so it will pick up the image on the plate. You should choose a pad that is larger than the image and usually a harder pad is better (about 15-18 shore A durometer). Be sure that any ridges, points, or flat spots on the pad are positioned so they won't come in contact with the artwork. These spots will trap air and prevent a complete transfer of the image. Adjust the back pad stroke height (where the pad comes down on the plate) just until it picks up the complete image. The less pressure the better.

	16: PLACE THE PART IN A FIXTURE, REGISTER THE IMAGE AND TEST PRINT All products are different and require a special fixture to hold them in place. Do your best to create a fixture that will hold your product securely in place while printing. Adjust the platform on the pad printer until the top of the fixture (and top of the part to be printed) is level with the plate. Adjust the front pad stroke height (where the pad comes in contact with the part) so it is the same as the back pad stroke height. Move the fixture left to right or front to back until the artwork is properly registered on the part. If necessary adjust the pad pressure until you get a complete transfer from the pad to the part, always keeping the front pressure and back pressure the same.

	17: PAD PRINT THE ORDER Print the order and adjust alignment or ink as you go.

	18: CHECK PARTS... CONSTANTLY! Constantly check the parts in between prints. As you print, the ink viscosity will change as the ink dries and thickens, changing the overall print quality. You may need to thin your ink at this time.

	19: POOR PRINTING? - CLEAN THE PAD If you are running into poor print quality or only certain parts of the artwork are being printed... clean the pad. It is possible that ink has is stuck on the pad, not allowing new ink to print clearly. We use tape to pull the ink off the pad. Repeat until the poor prints clear out.

	20: STILL NOT PRINTING RIGHT? - CLEAN THE PLATE If you are running into poor print quality or only certain parts of the artwork are being printed... clean the plate. It is possible that ink has dried in parts of the plate. Repeat until the poor prints clear out.

	21: DRY THE INK Once you have finished printing or are in between a large batch, use a dryer or oven to dry the parts. This hardens the ink and moves the pad printed parts onto the next stage of production.

	22: MAINTAIN 185° FOR 3 MINUTES We have found that drying the parts at 185° for 3 minutes is the perfect combination to curing the ink.

	23: PRINTING FINISHED! Now that the parts are printed and the ink is cured, give yourself a pat on the back.... You're done!