- PAD PRINTING TIPS AINES

Pad activation

When the time comes to change your printing pad you may have found in the past that new pads can take a while to run in and give you the consistent print quality you need for your production.

This problem is usually caused by a build up of excess silicon near the printing surface of the pad and leaves to an uneven transfer of ink to your components.

Wiping the surface of your pads with a standard thinner used with your ink is a common way of activating the pad and of course helps to clear away some of that silicon from the surface, but if a pad is rubbed too hard with an abrasive cloth this can cause permanent damage to the pads surface, leading to loss of life and poor print quality.

A much better way to activate the printing pad is to wipe the thinner onto a sheet of plain paper leaving the surface of the paper coated with the thinner.

Next place the paper directly in the print position and start the machine cycle allowing the pad to print directly onto the thinner coated paper, the thinner will now be carried back on the surface of the pad and as it is compressed during its next ink pick up it will begin to activate directly onto the most important area of the pad, the area where our image is going to be picked up / transferred from.

Make around 20 print cycles and then swap the thinner coated paper for a dry sheet of paper and continue to cycle the machine for another 10 - 20 prints until the pad is dry.

You will now have a pad that is activated and ready to use without the damage that can be caused by the conventional rubbing of printing pads.

If you want avoid any kind of pad activation then you can always use Teca Prints Star X range of printing pads.

This new formulation of Silicone has been developed exclusively by Teca Print and has led to the following benefits.No pad swelling caused by aggressive thinners, outstanding antistatic properties, unparalleled mechanical resistance and of course no activation period when new.

Call us for more information or download our pad catalogue

You can find more information about pad printing and our full range of services on our website www.kayedee.co.uk or you can call us to discuss your own pad printing applications and we will be happy to help.