Printing on curved surfaces - need advice

[_Trout_]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on the best method for transferring ink on a small curved surface (such as a pen, although they're not all perfectly cylindrical)? I know there are some different methods out there that would work for mass production such as pad printing, but unfortunately I need each item to be a one-off. I saw this on "How it's Made" a while back and was wondering if something like this would work? ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8HAsLURWyo#t=155 )
Thanks in advance!

 

[Ed_]

Hi
I believe the process demonstrated on the How it is Made video is a Water-Slide Decal.
Water-Slide Decals have either a clear carrier or white carrier.
You must print an opaque image on the clear carrier when it will be applied to a dark surface otherwise the color would change.
(a yellow transfer on a blue item would appear green)
If you use the white carrier, it will be transferred to your item leaving a white area the shape that you trimmed the decal to
I suspect the decal in the video was silkscreened with opaque ink or printed with a backup of white so It would not change the color on the dark bike frame.
If your image is different then you would need a new screen every time.
An alternate is a Rub on Transfer produced from a film negative.
They are opaque and you can fill a sheet with as many different images as you need.
Only the image transfers so there is clear carrier to trim or that appears on your item.
You can find more information on Rub on transfers at Rub on transfers custom made to order Letraset & Rub down transfers
Hope this info helps

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Digital direct options could include:

http://www.mimakieurope.com/products/uv/ujf-3042/

VersaUV LEF-20 Benchtop UV Flatbed Printer | Roland DG

As always, get a demo to make sure that a product works as intended for your situation.


Stephen Marsh

 

[wonderings]

Do you have a rough idea for how much one of those mimakies cost?

 

[akalaray]

Check into Pad printing - very basic

 

[_Trout_]

Looks like the Mimaki's go anywhere from $36k-50k. The VersaUV LEF 12 would be pretty much perfect, but at $20k that'll definitely be out of my price-range as well.

Dumb question but are water-slide decals permanent or could they shift down the road?
I'll have to do some more research on the rub-on transfers, but are there any transfer papers that would allow them to be printed using an inkjet or laser printer?

 

[_Trout_]

Thanks for the replies by the way! I had no idea that there were printers that could print on uneven surfaces like the VersaUV until today.

 

[Ed_]

There are Water-Slide papers for laser printers and inkjet. Inkjet would have to be solvent or the printed image protected from the water. Both laser & Inkjet would be transparent. The Water-Slide and Rub on Transfers would have to be over-coated to protect them from getting scratched.