Pad printing head is an indispensable core component in the pad printing process. Its quality and service life directly affect printing effects and production costs. Many pad printing manufacturers often encounter problems such as short pad head life and unstable printing quality in daily production, which not only increases consumable costs but also affects production efficiency. As a professional
Pad Printing Silicone manufacturer with more than 20 years of industry experience, Hongye Silicone shares practical tips for extending pad printing head service life and daily maintenance methods for everyone.
Key Points in Pad Head Manufacturing Process
The service life of a pad head is determined from the manufacturing process. First, selecting pad printing silicone with appropriate hardness is crucial. For mass production and high frequency standard printing, it is recommended to choose HY-902 (28A) with higher hardness, which has better wear resistance and longer service life. For precision irregular surface printing, HY-916 (16A) super soft model can be selected to ensure printing quality while paying attention to gentle operation.
Second, strictly weigh Part A and Part B at a weight ratio of 100:2. Ratio deviation will lead to incomplete silicone curing or performance degradation, directly affecting pad head life. When mixing, it must be thoroughly and evenly mixed, especially on the sides and bottom of the container, to avoid unmixed dead corners.
Third, the vacuum degassing step cannot be omitted. A large number of air bubbles will be mixed during stirring. If poured directly without degassing, there will be pores inside the pad head. During use, cracks are prone to occur at the pores, greatly shortening service life. It is recommended to degas for 3 to 5 minutes at 0.08MPa pressure.
Finally, after curing is completed, it is recommended to perform 24 hour post curing before putting into use. The internal curing of the newly demolded pad head may not be complete yet, and immediate use will affect performance and life. After leaving for 24 hours, the silicone molecular crosslinking is more sufficient, and the pad head performance reaches the optimal state.
Maintenance Tips in Daily Use
In daily use, correct operation and maintenance can effectively extend pad head service life. First, keep the pad head surface clean. After each use, ink and impurities will remain on the pad head surface. If not cleaned in time, the residue will solidify on the pad head surface, affecting the next printing effect and accelerating pad head aging. It is recommended to gently wipe the pad head surface with anhydrous ethanol or special cleaner, and dry it with a lint free cloth after cleaning.
Second, avoid pad head contact with harmful substances. Pad printing heads should avoid contact with substances containing nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, tin, amines and others, as these substances will cause the silicone surface to become sticky and aged, shortening service life. At the same time, avoid using strongly corrosive solvents to clean the pad head, and choose mild special cleaners.
Third, control printing pressure and speed. Excessive printing pressure will cause excessive deformation of the pad head, accelerating fatigue aging. Too fast printing speed will increase friction between the pad head and the printing surface, accelerating wear. It is recommended to adjust appropriate printing pressure and speed according to product characteristics, and minimize pressure and reduce speed while ensuring printing quality.
Fourth, regularly inspect and polish the pad head surface. After the pad head has been used for a period of time, slight wear or aging may appear on the surface. At this time, fine sandpaper can be used to gently polish the pad head surface to remove the aging layer and restore the ink adsorption capacity of the pad head. After polishing, clean the surface with cleaner, and then it can continue to be used.
Precautions for Pad Head Storage and Keeping
The storage method when the pad head is not in use also affects its service life. First, pad heads should be stored in a cool, dry and ventilated environment, avoiding direct sunlight and high temperature environment. High temperature and ultraviolet rays will accelerate silicone aging, causing the pad head to harden and crack.
Second, pad heads should avoid heavy pressure and deformation during storage. Do not stack heavy objects on pad heads, nor squeeze pad heads in narrow spaces. Long term deformation will cause the pad head to be unable to restore its original shape, affecting use. It is recommended to use special brackets or boxes to store pad heads, maintaining the pad head in a natural state.
Third, pad heads of different hardness and specifications should be stored separately to avoid confusion. Information such as model, hardness, manufacturing date can be marked on the pad head or packaging box for easy management and use. At the same time, record the usage times and printing effects of each pad head, and replace aged pad heads in time to avoid affecting production quality.
Hongye Silicone Product Recommendation
As a professional pad printing silicone manufacturer, Hongye Silicone provides four pad printing silicone products with different hardness to meet different printing needs. HY-901 economical model (23A) has high cost effectiveness and is suitable for standard pad printing operations. HY-912 multi color printing model (25A) is suitable for multi color overprinting. HY-902 high wear resistant model (28A) has the longest service life and is suitable for mass production. HY-916 super soft model (16A) is suitable for precision irregular surface printing.
All products are certified under ISO 9001 quality system, and each batch undergoes strict inspection before leaving the factory to ensure stable product quality. Hongye Silicone also provides professional technical support services to help customers solve various problems in the pad printing process, optimize printing technology, and improve production efficiency.
Conclusion
The service life of pad printing heads not only depends on the quality of the silicone material itself, but also is closely related to multiple links such as manufacturing process, daily use, maintenance and upkeep. By mastering correct manufacturing methods, daily maintenance skills and scientific storage methods, pad head service life can be effectively extended, production costs reduced, and printing quality and production efficiency improved. It is hoped that the tips shared in this article can help pad printing manufacturers better use and maintain pad printing heads and achieve better economic benefits.
Shenzhen Hong Ye Jie Technology Co., Ltd
