UV printing: how it works and what it prints on
UV printing lays ink on the surface and cures it with ultraviolet light the moment it lands. The ink does not soak in, so a sheet does not have to be coated, absorbent or able to take heat. That is what puts glass, metal and wood on the same bed as foam board.
How UV printing works
The printhead jets UV-curable ink onto the material, and UV-LED light cures it. Cured ink is dry when it leaves the machine, so a print is ready to cut the same hour.
Two extra inks widen what the print can do:
- White — prints under or instead of color, for clear and dark materials. All JHF models carry a white channel.
- Varnish — a clear layer over the print. The F3900 and F5900 flatbeds carry a varnish channel.
Flatbed, hybrid or roll-to-roll
The machine type decides what you can print on.
| Type | Takes | Models | Print area / width | Max thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbed | rigid sheet laid on the bed | JHF F3900 | 98 × 51 in (2500 × 1300 mm) | 4.7 in (120 mm) |
| JHF F5900 | 126 × 79 in (3200 × 2000 mm) | 4.7 in (120 mm) | ||
| Hybrid | rigid sheet and roll media | JHF M3300 | 126 in (3200 mm) wide | 2 in (50 mm) |
| Roll-to-roll | roll media | JHF V398 | 126 in (3200 mm) wide | — |
| JHF V698 | 197 in (5000 mm) wide | — | ||
| SOVA Otus 70 | 70 in (1800 mm) wide | — |
Glass and mirror, ceramic tile, stone, leather and polycarbonate are on the flatbeds only.
What it prints on
Acrylic
Signs, displays and wall panels in clear or colored acrylic. Flatbed and hybrid. Acrylic is one of the materials LIPLA Primer is made for.
Glass and mirror
Flatbed only. Printing on glass
Wood, plywood and MDF
Flatbed and hybrid. Printing on wood
Metal and aluminum composite
Aluminum composite panel for signs and façades, and metal sheet. Flatbed and hybrid. Metal is one of the materials LIPLA Primer is made for.
Plastics
PVC foam board, corrugated plastic and styrene on the flatbed and the hybrid; polycarbonate on the flatbed. Plastics are among the materials LIPLA Primer is made for.
Leather
Flatbed only.
Ceramic tile and stone
Flatbed only.
Which ink
Every JHF model — flatbed, hybrid and roll-to-roll — runs LIPLA KYO, made for Kyocera printheads. The SOVA Otus 70 runs Epson i3200 heads, which LIPLA KYO also covers. All LIPLA inks
Print, then cut
A printed board can be cut to shape afterwards: the cutter’s camera reads the printed marks and cuts along the print. Signs and displays: print and cut
Questions
What is UV printing?
Printing with ink that cures under ultraviolet light as soon as it lands, instead of drying by evaporation or soaking into the material.
What can a UV printer print on?
On a flatbed: acrylic, PVC foam board, aluminum composite, corrugated plastic, styrene, polycarbonate, wood, plywood and MDF, metal, glass and mirror, ceramic tile, stone, leather, canvas, paper and board, textile. On a roll-to-roll printer: banner, mesh, vinyl, backlit and window film, wallcovering, synthetic and coated paper, canvas, textile.
Do I need a primer?
For glass, metal, acrylic and plastics, LIPLA Primer is made to improve adhesion.
How thick a board can it print?
Up to 4.7 in (120 mm) on the F3900 and F5900, up to 2 in (50 mm) on the M3300.
Materials: Acrylic · PVC foam board · Aluminum composite · Metal · Corrugated plastic · Styrene · Polycarbonate · Ceramic tile · Stone · Leather
Still have questions?
An engineer will answer them — the configuration, the materials, the install.