Why Choosing UV Flatbed Printer?

UV flatbed printers can print directly onto a wide range of materials, including plastic, wood, glass, metal, and even some fabrics like canvas. The UV inks are capable of producing vibrant, high-resolution images. The UV curing ink is cured almost instantly by ultraviolet (UV) light as it's printed and the ink is transformed from liquid to solid matter. This has several advantages:

• Durability: The resulting prints are resistant to scratching, fading, and weather conditions. With Rainbow UV curing ink, prints can last for at least 5 years in the outdoor environment.
• Speed: UV printer machine can print small items in batches especially with jigs which can hold multiple items for positioning and printing. There's no need to make mould, no need to wait for the ink to dry, allowing for faster production times.
• Clarity: Printers uv machines use digital inkjet print heads such as Epson TX800, i3200, i1600, or Ricoh Gen5i, Gen5. These print heads are capable of printing images with printing resolutions up to 2880dpi, which results in detailed prints that maintain clarity even when zoomed in.

• Possibility: UV printer is capable of realizing all kinds of special visual effect such as 3D embossing uv print, varnish/glossy/clear print, printing UV DTF stickers, glitter golden powder effect, fluorescent effect, anti-counterfeiting efect, and metallic golden foil effect, ect.

What Can a UV Printer Do?

UV printer can print all kinds of products and materials. As long as the media is flat, UV printer can print image on it. However, they are not particularly proficient at printing on porous surfaces such as fabric or sponge, where ink adhesion and bonding might be suboptimal. Below are examples of products on which UV printers perform exceptionally well:

• wood board and product Wood is an ideal material for UV printing, thanks to its coarse and flat surface which ensures excellent adhesion of UV ink. Regardless of the wood's base color, UV printing consistently produces vibrant and clear prints on this material.

• acrylic signage A UV printer allows for both direct and reverse printing on acrylic boards. The adhesion of UV curing ink varies with the grade of acrylic used. If strong adhesion is necessary, an acrylic primer can be applied to enhance it.

• glass award and slate UV printing on glass can yield impressive results. It's possible to print directly, in reverse, or using both methods simultaneously on glass. To ensure strong adhesion, a glass primer can be applied before printing.

• ceramic slate UV printing on ceramic slate often requires the use of big or large format UV printers to achieve better speed and varnish application. The top coat of varnish not only protects the prints on ceramic but also ensures they remain durable, even in moist environments.

• metal signs and products UV printing on metal is relatively straightforward and can produce stunning results. A UV printer is capable of printing normal color images with varnish and creating embossed 3D braille on flat metal signs.

• leather bags and products Leather presents a unique challenge for UV printing due to its soft and flexible nature. Consequently, the printing must also be soft and flexible. This challenge is overcome by using soft UV curing ink, which allows for the production of flexible and thin images on leather.

• PVC card PVC cards come in various types, including business cards, bank debit cards, credit cards, and ID cards, among others. A medium-sized UV printer, like the A2 4060 model, can print dozens of these cards in less than 20 minutes. Utilizing a jig for the cards not only saves time in positioning and aligning them but also adds significant convenience to the process.

• plastic productsPlastic is a large category that includes types such as PP, PE, ABS, among others. UV printing can be effectively applied to almost all plastic products. UV ink usually bonds well with plastic surfaces, although there are a few exceptions like PP. For these cases, a specialized primer is used to ensure proper adhesion.

• cylinder, bottle and mug UV printers are often referred to as "universal printing machines" for various reasons. Among these is their ability to print on cylindrical surfaces. With the addition of a rotary device, a UV printer can efficiently print complex images on rounded items like bottles and mugs by rotating the cylinder for even coverage.

• stone slate Stone slate plaques are excellent materials for UV printing. Provided that the stone slate is relatively flat, vibrant and clear colored images can be printed on it. The resulting prints are durable, clear, and of high quality.

• candle Printing on candles is a relatively rare practice, yet it often yields very good results.

• paper card and package Paper is one of the most commonly printed materials, and UV printers are also well-suited for it. Common paper products like trading cards and coasters can be easily UV printed without any issues.

• canvas Coated canvas, especially when it has a relatively smooth surface, is one of the best materials for printing. The use of a white base color also significantly reduces the consumption of UV ink.

• UV DTF sticker transfer A UV printer can print directly onto Film A, and with the addition of a small laminator, stickers can be created that are transferable to almost all the surfaces and products previously mentioned. This relatively new technology has expanded the possibilities for UV printing machines. Now, it's possible to achieve not just standard UV DTF (Direct to Film) transfers but also specialized finishes like matte gold UV DTF transfer, metallic gold transfer, silver holographic transfer, and more.

How to Choose a Suitable UV Printer?

UV flatbed printers primarily vary in print size and speed. Therefore, when selecting a suitable printer, the most crucial factor to consider is often the print size. The sizes available for UV printers align with the

paper size	print size(cm)	print size(inch/ft)
A4	20×30cm	7.87×11.8in
A3	40×30cm	15.7×11.8in
A2	40×60cm 50×70cm	15.7×23.6in 19.68×27.55in
A1	60×90cm	23.6×35.4in
A0	160×100cm 120×160cm	62.99×39.37in 57.2×62.99in
large format	250×130cm	8.3×4.3ft

When choosing the right size for a UV printer, several key questions should guide your decision. What are the dimensions of the product you need to print? How tall is it? Then, think about your production needs: How many items do you need to print each day? What speed should the printer have to meet your demands?

Suppose the largest item you need to print is a 40×50cm wooden bar sign. In that case, you should opt for an A2 or larger UV printer to accommodate this size. Models like the RB-4060 Plus or Nano 7 or higher would be suitable.

If your task is to print 500 phone cases in 5 hours, some calculations based on the printer's production capacity are necessary.

Model	Tray Size	Universal Phone Case Covers	Standard Card	Golf Ball	Pen
RB-2030	20×30cm	3	8	24	15
RB-3250uv	32×50cm	6	20	70	48
RB-4030pro	40×30cm	6	16	48	28
RB-4060 plus	40×60cm	12	32	96	60
Nano7	50×70cm	14	45	140	96
Nano9	60×90cm	30	72	216	150
RB-1610	100×80cm	40	100	608	240

According to this chart, using the A3 UV printer RB-4030 Pro, which can hold 6 phone cases at a time and has an average speed of 5 minutes per bed, you can print 72 pieces per hour, totaling 360 pieces in 5 hours. This falls short of the requirement. However, with the A2 UV printer Nano 7, capable of holding 14 phone cases at a time and averaging 8 minutes per bed, you can print 105 pieces per hour, achieving 525 pieces in 5 hours. Therefore, for this scenario, models like the Nano 7, Nano 9, or higher are advisable.

Beyond print size, consider any special printing needs, such as embossing, varnish, AB film printing for UV DTF stickers, extra print height (above 15cm), high drop UV printing, etc. These requirements might limit your options to specific models.

For frequent AB film printing for UV DTF stickers, a UV printer with a vacuum suction table is recommended to secure the film in place. This table is an aluminum platform with evenly spread small holes. If you need to print directly on items up to 20cm in height, consider printers like the Nano 7 with a 24cm print height, Nano 9 upgradeable to 30cm, or the RB-1610 with a 24cm height.

If you're uncertain about which printer is right for you or how to print your specific items, our professional support team is available to provide a complete UV printing solution tailored to your business needs.