by John Kaverman, Tampoprint Q: What purpose does the line screen serve in cliché making? The line screen serves three purposes: to support the ink cup's doctor ring, to control the volume of ink and to give the ink some resistance. To support the ink cup's doctor ring so that it doesn't "dip" ink out as it passes over the image area. Most manufacturers use magnets to … [Read more...] about Polymer Clichés for Pad Printing
Pad Printing
Greener Solutions for Pad Printing
by John Kaverman, Tampoprint International Corporation Advancements in the pad printing industry have helped companies reduce their environmental footprint in a number of ways. The utilization of electro-mechanical drive systems in modern pad printing machines and accessories has significantly reduced utility costs. Advancements in laser-engraved cliché materials have largely … [Read more...] about Greener Solutions for Pad Printing
The Components of a Quality Pad
by John Kaverman Special Focus January/February2009 Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 What constitutes a "good pad?" At first glance the two pads in example 1 may appear to be of similar in quality. Look again. The vacuum-formed pad on the left was manufactured utilizing a precision master. The … [Read more...] about The Components of a Quality Pad
Understanding the Pad in Pad Printing
by Peter Kiddell, PDS Consulting One of the most difficult questions to answer about the pad printing process is, "How do I determine what pad to use?" One answer won't apply for every shop or application. Rather than lay down inflexible rules, this article will provide a methodology for determining the optimum pad characteristics and a framework you can work within to get the … [Read more...] about Understanding the Pad in Pad Printing
Pad Printing on Textured Surfaces
by John Kaverman, Innovative Marking Systems Textures vary according to their individual depth, the degree of draft on the sidewalls, and the frequency of peaks and valleys for a given surface area. Some textures are more difficult to print successfully than others, and there are certain textures that are simply impossible to cover completely. The following diagram … [Read more...] about Pad Printing on Textured Surfaces