Two prominent manufacturers offer Apollo brand UV inks: Apollo Colours Ltd, a British company specializing in inks for plastic cards, and Jinan Apollo Ink Co., Ltd., a Chinese firm providing a wide range of inkjet solutions. Other suppliers also distribute generic “Apollo” UV inks for various printing applications.
Key features
Key features of UV inks include:
- Vivid color: Formulated for a wide color gamut, producing radiant, high-contrast visuals.
- Fast drying: Instantaneous curing when exposed to UV light, which prevents smudging and bleeding and improves production speed.
- Durability: Excellent resistance to fading, scratches, and general wear and tear, making prints suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
- Broad substrate compatibility: Able to print on a wide range of materials, including paper, vinyl, plastic, glass, metal, and wood.
- Low odor: Modern formulations are designed to have a low odor.
- Environmental properties: UV inks have low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Types of Apollo UV ink
From Apollo Colours Ltd.
This UK-based company primarily produces UV inks for specialized applications, such as laminated plastic cards and security printing.
- Superlam U.V. screen inks: Developed for plastic card manufacturing, these inks offer instant drying, excellent adhesion, and near-infinite screen stability.
- UVISEAL TC+ offset inks: Formulated for the heat lamination process of PVC, PETG, PETF, and Polycarbonate cards. The ink provides excellent color stability and adhesion.
- U.V. sensitive screen inks: Used for security purposes on credit cards and documents, these invisible inks become visible only when exposed to UV light.
- Special effect inks: The range includes phosphorescent (“Glow in the Dark”), thermochromic (heat-sensitive), and photochromic (light-sensitive) inks.
From Jinan Apollo Ink Co., Ltd.
This Chinese manufacturer offers a wider array of UV inks designed for general digital printing.
- CMYK UV ink: Standard four-color printing ink for creating full-color graphics.
- White UV ink: Used as a base coat for transparent substrates or as an overprint for added opacity and durability.
- Spot UV ink: Applies a glossy varnish to specific areas of a print to enhance visual appeal and create a tactile effect.
- Hard and soft UV inks: Formulations are available for both rigid and flexible media.
- UV LED inks: Engineered for printers with LED curing lamps.
Applications
Apollo UV inks are used in various commercial and industrial printing applications.
- Plastic cards: High-quality laminating inks are produced for credit cards, gift cards, and loyalty cards.
- Packaging: The inks are durable and work well for packaging materials, including labels, cartons, and boxes.
- Signage and displays: Prints are resistant to weather and outdoor elements, making them suitable for indoor and outdoor signs and promotional items.
- Promotional products: Used for printing on a range of items, including phone cases, custom bottles, and souvenirs.
- Apparel: Screen printing formulations are made for printing on nylon, cotton, and polyester fabrics.
- Art and decoration: Ideal for printing on materials like wood, glass, and metal.
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