June 2003: Ultraviolet (UV) Coating ...

When you want to make your printed pieces really stand out, ultraviolet (UV) coatings are an ideal solution. UV coating can be applied as a flood over an entire sheet, or in spots to highlight specific areas. Finishes can range from a flat matte appearance to a high-gloss, which gives products a distinct "wet" look that makes colors and images jump off the page.

The UV Coating Process

UV coating is performed on specialized screen printing presses. First, a screen is coated with an emulsifier. A film positive of the sheet to be coated is then placed over the screen and exposed. Next, any unexposed emulsion is washed away, leaving just the image area that will be coated. UV coating is then placed over the image area on the screen press, and cured using an ultraviolet lamp. The result is a hard, instantly-dry surface that helps protect the sheet.

The chemistry of the UV coating prevents it from bonding properly with certain inks. For that reason, we recommend that only wax- and silicone-free inks be used on UV-coated products.

It’s a good idea to have us test a sample of your project prior to the production run. This allows us to spot potential problems, such as uneven coating application and heat-related issues such as ink discoloration, that could cost you time and money if they’re discovered during production.

UV-coated products must be handled carefully before and after the coating process in order for the finished product to look its best. Sheets must be completely dry prior to UV coating, so be sure to give your sheets ample drying time - especially those with heavy ink coverage. Since the curing process tends to dry the stock, sheets may need to be scored if folding will be performed over coated areas.

Dimensional UV Coating

At The Riverside Group, we can perform dimensional UV coating for a truly unique appearance. This technique gives sheets the appearance of embossing, but without any distortion to the other side of the sheet. That allows it to be performed on both sides of the sheet with no compromise in quality. Dimensional UV coating can be performed with textured finishes, including sand and glitter, that really bring your images to life!

The Riverside Edge

UV coating is swiftly becoming the coating method of choice for a wide range of products. At The Riverside Group, we can perform UV coating in tinted, matte, satin and gloss finishes to fit the mood of the piece. For more specialized applications, we can also perform scratch-off and scratch-and-sniff coating, as well as patterned remoistenable gluing. Our two new dedicated UV coating lines provide the production muscle to meet the most demanding turnaround times.

Give us a call to let us know how we can help you take advantage of UV coating on your next project.