The development of UV ink is earlier than that of the UV printer. It can be said that the ink came first, and then the UV printer came.
Drying problem:
In the past, when there was only single-color or two-color printing, drying and time were not so important, but after 1955, with the prominence of four-color printing presses and the continuous improvement of printing speed, the problems of back printing, sticking, and waiting time for post-processing caused by printing became more prominent.
Environmental protection requirements:
In 1960, due to the requirements of environmental protection and the requirements of increased productivity, inks with other drying methods were continuously produced. The drying methods include UV, EB, infrared, etc., and ultraviolet drying method became the best choice.
Early development:
The UV patent was obtained in 1964, and it was truly practical in 1969. However, due to the lack of understanding, it was still difficult to control the use, printing suitability, and post-processing parts, resulting in frequent failures.
Mid-term development:
In the late 1980s, with the gradual demand for relevant testing technology, various ink factories also actively developed better testing methods. With the emergence of better testing methods, the quality of UV inks has been improved, and the properties of related post-processing have gradually improved.
Turning point:
In the 1990s, the development of UV inks was focused on high ink film thickness, but due to technical reasons, it has not been overcome. Due to the continuous improvement of the formula, the printing suitability of UV inks has surpassed that of traditional oxidative inks.
High-speed development:
In 2000, due to the high corrosiveness of UV inks, ink rollers and related printing equipment must have better corrosion resistance. Due to the efforts of ink factories, the dream of traditional printing presses to perform UV printing without changing the relevant ink rollers as long as ultraviolet lamps are installed has been realized. So far, except for gold and silver, the performance of UV inks has been very mature and widely used in various industries.