At Glasstec 2018, Marabu will be presenting ink solutions suitable for the glass industry, including screen, digital and pad printing. A particular highlight at their stand will be a single-component ink for glass applications that is unique in character worldwide.
At this year’s Glasstec in Düsseldorf from 23 to 26 October, Marabu (hall 12, stand B23) is unveiling two new screen-printing inks for decorating glass.
The company, a specialist in organic inks, will also spotlight its broad range of products for the traditional printing of bottles, drinking glasses, fragrance bottles and flat glass.
A world first: a single-component ink for glass and metal
One of Marabu’s highlights in Düsseldorf will be its single-component ink system Mara Tech MGO for metal and glass. The baking ink can be used for both screen and pad printing, and can be deployed in a wide variety of scenarios. MGO is ideal for printing on the first and second surfaces of flat and container glass. It is particularly suitable for the food and personal-care product industries. Mara Tech MGO is BPA-free and highly resistant to chemicals, making it an outstanding solution for sensitive products, i.e. with heightened safety needs, especially baby bottles and medical supplies.
New screen-printing ink for touchscreens, panels and front panels
Marabu offers UV-curable and solvent-based inks such as Ultra Glass UVGL and Mara Glass MGL for printing on glass touchscreens and touchpads. Moreover, the company has developed the new two-component Mara Glass MGLA for printing on second surfaces, i.e. on the back of the substrate – this is primarily employed for outdoor applications, including door intercoms, ticket vending machines, streetlight management systems (e.g. at airports or in pedestrian zones), and boat control systems. It is also suitable for lamination.
A broad portfolio of solvent-based and UV-curable inks
Although UV-curable inks such as Marabu’s Ultra Glass UVGL are increasingly popular, solvent-based inks remain relevant in many situations – particularly for designs with a single colour. In Düsseldorf, Marabu will be showcasing its solvent-based screen-printing ink Mara Glass MGL, plus its pad-printing solution Tampa Glass TPGL, which can be used as a four-colour system. For both screen and pad printing, MGL and TPGL are compatible with diverse substrates, and deliver brilliant, precise colours. The two-component UV-curable ink Ultra Glass UVGL also cuts energy costs and upfront investment, and enables fast production processes for greater efficiency.
Elegant and eye-catching effects
Three-dimensional effects are both tangibly and visually attractive. Until now, manufacturers have employed casting technology to create visual effects on bottles and other glass items. This requires costly moulds, and is generally only commercially viable for very large production volumes. However, Marabu has developed an attractive alternative: its UVGL-RH/-RL ink can be harnessed to create tactile effects that could previously only be achieved via moulding. A thick-film coating is precisely applied to a screen-printed design on flat or container glass – exactly matching the existing contours. It is then cured with UV light. In particular, the combination of the two varnishes enables the printing of highly diverse patterns. The ratio of high-viscosity and low-viscosity components can be freely adjusted in line with the required results and printing parameters. Furthermore, hot foil stamping in conjunction with UV-curable screen printing continues to be in demand. This approach achieves brilliant high-gloss metallic effects comparable to precious metals – but is considerably more cost-efficient.
Digital printing on glass
At this year’s Glasstec, Marabu will be drawing attention to the broad range of applications for UV-curable digital direct printing. Inkjet inks can be employed for custom decorative elements on flat and container glass. Marabu’s Ultra Jet DUV-C is suitable for printing diverse glasses and bottles. Direct printing is used for custom decorations on beverage bottles, plus for high-quality fragrance bottles and decorative objects. Flat-bed printers are employed for flat glass. Further applications include advertising materials and interior design (e.g. kitchens and furniture). In addition, the ability to print on the second surface is attractive for industrial customers, for example for the manufacture of touchscreens. In this context, the combination of screen and digital printing is increasingly important – designs can be produced via digital printing, for instance, followed by a blocking layer applied via screen printing.
A special primer for glass
Marabu will also present its Mara Shield liquid coatings at Glasstec 2018. These products can be leveraged to prime, finish or protect high-quality digital prints. In the case of Mara Shield UV-CGL inks, they can be harnessed for roller-coating large areas of glass. A broad choice of colours creates opportunities to match customer’s desired shades from Pantone, RAL, HKS and other colour systems – making these inks particularly interesting for kitchen and furniture component suppliers. Additionally, Marabu’s new Special Primer P4 significantly improves adhesion of UV-curable colours on glass (for screen as well as digital printing). This can be applied manually or by means of a spray system. Depending on the ink, it is also possible to deliver greater adhesion on metal and plastic substrates.
