Pad printing

This is accomplished using an indirect offset (gravure) printing process that involves an image being transferred from the cliché via a silicone pad onto a substrate.

It can also be used to deposit functional materials such as conductive inks, adhesives, dyes and lubricants.

The unique properties of the silicone pad enable it to pick the image up from a flat plane and transfer it to a variety of surfaces, such as flat, cylindrical, spherical, compound angles, textures, concave, or convex surfaces.

First gaining a foothold in the watch-making industry following World War II, developments in the late 60s and early 70s, such as silicone pads and more advanced equipment, made the printing method far more practical.

Today, pad printing is a well established technology covering a wide spectrum of industries and applications.

A ceramic ring with a highly polished working edge provides the seal against the printing plate.

One image can contain several contrast colors (monochrome) by applying different engraving depths and/or grid resolutions.

It comes in different chemical families to match the type of material to be printed (please consult the substrate compatibility chart for selection).

This same feature makes it easier to clean than some solvent and epoxy like two part component inks.

Substrates need to be clean and free from surface contamination to allow proper ink adhesion.

The latter technique is more convenient for short production delays, high precision, stable quality control.

The standard cycle life that can be expected out of a polymer plate is quite low (50,000 impressions on the high end).

A pad printed keyboard
Diagram of pad printing process [ further explanation needed ]
Cycles of pad printing on the plates
Tampography is commonly used to print decals onto diecast models, such as this model Airbus A340 , as the resultant printed decals are resistant to fading.