UV printer, as a modern technology crystallization of a full-color digital printing equipment, its remarkable feature is that without the traditional plate making process, to achieve efficient and flexible full-color printing, and is not limited to the type of material. The printer can easily produce results comparable to color photos on a variety of materials such as signage, crystal clear, durable PVC material and soft and delicate leather. Its printing process is rapid, the color performance is both bright and rich, while the operation interface is friendly, simple and easy, so it has become an indispensable choice for many digital printing companies that pursue efficiency and quality.
However, while enjoying the convenience and excellent printing results brought by UV printers, it is also necessary to pay attention to one of the problems that may be encountered in practical applications: color difference. Sometimes, although the designer has carefully deployed the color, the pattern output by the UV printer has not been completely restored in color, resulting in unsatisfactory deviations. There are several possible reasons behind this phenomenon. So, what factors lead to the appearance of color difference in the UV printing process? This is a question worth exploring in depth.
Before using UV printers to print patterns for various media, the operator will first perform a series of careful processing of the predetermined pattern until it is sure that the pattern effect fully meets the customer’s expectations, and then the printing process will start. However, if there is a mistake in the process of picture processing, resulting in damage to the color of the pattern, then the final printed product will be very different from the customer’s requirements. When this happens, it can often be attributed to several key factors:
1. Color pattern of computer display and design manuscript
First of all, due to the different brands and models of computer monitors, and the different color value parameters that individual users may set, this directly leads to differences in the visual presentation of colors when viewing the same picture on different monitors.
Secondly, in the process of color production, special attention needs to be paid to the setting of the lightest value. In general, the lightest color value should not be less than 8%, otherwise these colors may be too close to the base color when printing and will not appear clearly.
Furthermore, the image color mode on the design manuscript should be CMYK, not RGB. Because RGB mode is mainly used for screen display, while CMYK mode is more suitable for the printing industry. In addition, you should also avoid printing with four-color black or four-color gray, because these two color combinations tend to cause significant color difference problems during the printing process.
In addition, the use of special colors also need to be careful. If the picture material is from the outside, sometimes it may not be clearly marked which contains special colors, these hidden special colors in the printing process may cause the overall color offset, forming a comprehensive color difference phenomenon.
For the above reasons, in order to ensure that the printing results are as expected, the operator of the UV printer should conduct a template test before carrying out large-scale UV printing. Through continuous adjustment and optimization, until the ideal effect of customer satisfaction is achieved, and then officially carry out batch printing work. This can not only effectively save material costs, but also provide customers with satisfactory products in the shortest time, thereby improving work efficiency and customer satisfaction.
2. Ink problem
The quality of the ink used in UV printing is undoubtedly one of the key factors in determining the final print effect. If the selected ink quality is not good, then even the most fine design and high-performance machine, it is difficult to perfectly present the printing effect that customers expect. The uneven pigment composition of the ink, or the interpenetration of the ink in the cartridge (that is, cross-color phenomenon), can lead to significant color bias problems in the print pattern, making the final product far from the expectation.
In addition, it is worth noting that different types of UV inks have different color performance, and there are differences in saturation, brightness and gamut range between them. Therefore, after replacing the new UV ink, it is often necessary to readjust the color curve to ensure that the printed pattern color is accurate. At the same time, the subtle difference of ink spots can not be ignored, especially when printing side views, the state of the spray hole needs to be closely observed. If the nozzle is blocked and the ink is not smooth, the nozzle should be cleaned and maintained in time. If the precipitation problem is caused by the ink standing for a long time, the ink needs to be fully stirred before use. Once the ink is found to be congealed, it usually means that the ink is out of date and needs to be replaced immediately to avoid affecting the print quality.
3. Consideration of UV printing environmental factors
In addition to the problem of the ink itself, the environmental factors of UV printing will also have a significant impact on the print color. These factors include, but are not limited to, the choice of printing time, the inherent quality of the UV ink, the control of ambient temperature and humidity, and the particularity of the substrate material. In addition, there are some factors that are difficult for humans to fully control, and they work together to cause color differences in the printing process.
Specifically, when the UV flatbed printer is in a high humidity working environment, the substrate surface may become wet due to the absorption of moisture in the air, which in turn affects the drying effect of the UV ink, resulting in a decline in print quality. On the contrary, if the ambient temperature is too low, the fluidity of UV ink will be affected and become viscous, which will not only increase the risk of floating ink, but also may lead to problems such as blurred print images and color distortion. More seriously, low temperature may also cause the phenomenon of UV ink cracking or peeling on the surface of the substrate, seriously damaging the appearance and quality of the printed product. Therefore, when UV printing, environmental factors must be fully considered and properly controlled to ensure the stability and reliability of the printing effect.
In order to ensure the best condition of printing supplies and equipment, we should avoid placing them in extremely harsh environments. According to the change of climate conditions, timely dehumidification or drying measures are taken to maintain the humidity of indoor air in a suitable range, that is, between 30% and 70%. At the same time, controlling the indoor temperature within the range of 20℃to 40℃ is also an effective means to reduce the adverse impact of environmental factors on the printing effect.
4. Material characteristics
In addition, the characteristics of the printing medium are also one of the factors that can not be ignored. Physical properties such as the background color depth and ink adsorption capacity of various materials are different, and these characteristics are directly related to the performance of printed colors. Therefore, in the design process, if you can deeply understand and accurately grasp the unique nature of the material used, it will help to use color more accurately, so that the design work can be more close to the expected effect when printing. It is especially worth noting that for materials with darker background color, the surface color interference with the printing color is more significant, and it is more likely to lead to the appearance of color difference, so special attention should be paid to the design.
In addition to the many factors mentioned above, the professionalism and responsibility of the UV printer operator also play a crucial role. A good and dedicated UV printer operator can rely on his superb skills and meticulous working attitude to ensure that the printed product results accurately match the customer’s expectations and needs. Therefore, cultivating and having a professional and dedicated team of UV printer operators is of inestimable value for the sustainable and healthy development of the enterprise.
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