Pad printing is popular for difficult substrates to otherwise embellish because of convex angles, wells and divots, such as golf balls. (Image courtesy Printa Systems)

In this progressive time in the industry, there is a lot of hype for and much coverage of the newer apparel and non-wearable decorating methods—digital direct-to-substrate, heat applied graphics, and so on. But that’s not to say the other methods are yesterday’s news. Pad printing is one technology that stays relevant amidst all of the industry’s evolutions. Since its inception in the late 19th century as a way to put numbers on watch faces, the technology has proved its worth in intricately printing other such small, delicate and dimensional items. Here, we’ll take a look at what this steadfast player in the embellishment game has to offer our market today.

Form meets function

“Pad printing is an excellent choice where other printing forms fail,” reports Cynthia “Mo” Goss of Printa Systems, adding that it allows practitioners the ability to print on irregular shapes and small sensitive products quickly and inexpensively. “With the ability to print on a vast variety of substrates including glass, metal, ceramic, all types of plastic, wood, leather, vinyl, paper, painted surfaces and more, almost any non-porous surface can be pad printed.”

Pad printing takes the clear lead when any print area is in a well, is on a compound or convex curve, a textured surface or a product that is difficult to fixture, Goss tells us. 

As compared to the other methods that can be used for embellishing in such odd or small surfaces or on less traditionally shaped items—namely, screen printing, heat transfer, in-mold decorating, and 3D direct inkjet printing—John Kaverman, author of The Pad Printing Process and Innovative Marking Systems’ director of technical services, holds the opinion that pad printing offers several advantages over other techniques.

“Pad printing is superior to heat transfer in that it provides better resolution and can print on parts that vary significantly from one part to another due to manufacturing variables such as sink, mold parting lines, and so on.” Though, he also says that heat-transfer is a better option for certain plastics that would require pre-treatment for proper adhesion of pad-printing inks. 

There is a range of equipment suited for different levels of pad printing for all levels of business. (Image courtesy Innovative Marking Systems)

Tim Scully, VP of Sales for Pad Print Machinery of VT, Inc., explains this limitation in more detail: “Some substrates need to be pretreated with a corona or flame. Substrates with dyne levels under 40 prove difficult in achieving proper adhesion, so the pretreatment helps in promoting the proper adhesion. Products infused or mixed with Teflon and silicone can prove to be challenging but new inks have been developed to achieve the proper ink adhesion on them. Some products may also require a post treatment in the oven.”

Back to our comparison, Kaverman goes on to discuss in-mold decorating, a process that involves placing a die-cutⁱ and/or formed, screen printed appliqué into an injection mold and molding it into an assembly. “For example,” he cites, “if one wished to decorate on a compound angle using in-mold decorating, one must first pre-distort the artwork and/or form the part to compensate for the angle. With pad printing, the pad conforms to the angle of the part and typically transfers without distortion.”

Print this 

When it comes to non-wearables, pad printing offers a huge advantage in its ability to handle any angle or curves one can throw at it. There are some more obvious applications that this technology has made its mark in: Items such as computer keyboards and other instrument control panels, cell phones, appliances and remote controls, to name a few, are almost exclusively embellished via pad printing equipment. Given the small surface area in which to work and the fine detail required, the labor involved in producing screens that are small enough and would allow for such precision just isn’t as viable for the traditional screen printer. On the other hand, Goss tells us that the combination of inks with extremely good opacity and a shallow image depth allows pad printing to produce extremely fine detail.

But pad printing doesn’t pigeon-hole its users into such a specific market. On the contrary, the creative—not to mention lucrative—applications that this method opens up to decorators is vast. “You can print on a contact lens, a narrow channel such as a screwdriver handle or the inside of an extruded part that would be nearly impossible to make a screen small enough to get down into the print area,” says Goss. 

Our sources go on to cite eyeglass frames, medical syringes and catheters, flash drives for computers, pens, and so much more. And of course, it’s difficult not to mention the complex curves and divots pad printing masters in the printing of golf balls. For the ultimate up-sell and add-on opportunities, those utilizing this equipment can provide a packaged program to its clients. “Many who work in the sports-apparel industry have added additional products that can be customized such as water bottles, baseballs, and other related sports products,” says Scully.

For apparel decorators, Scully goes on, pad printing does not just offer the ability to sell complementing ad-specialties to wearables programs, but has applications for garments as well. “Pad printing really came to service the apparel market by providing a more cost-effective way of labeling garments,” he explains. “Where once labels were separately produced and sewn into the garment, pad printing allowed the content and care labels to be directly printed onto the fabric as either completed garments or prior to sewing as pieces. Not only was it a savings to manufacturer but it was originally marketed as a premium product by eliminating the uncomfortable neck labels. Pad printing on apparel has also allowed for easy customized branding for stores and organizations.”

What it takes

Pad printed non-wearables are a perfect add on to any apparel order. (Image courtesy Printa Systems)

Now that we know why and what, it’s time to explore how. So, how exactly is it possible to get such a small, precise print on a complex surface? “Through the clever control of solvent evaporation,” at least in most cases, says Kaverman, “we essentially form a thin decal on the surface of the printing plate, referred to as a cliché, then pick it up and transfer it with a pliable, silicone transfer pad.”

To begin pad printing, you will need what Goss lists as the basics: The pad printer itself, transfer pads, inks, additives, an exposure unit to make printing plates, and printing plates. Consumables, she tells us, consist of the printing plate (reusable but not reclaimable), inks and additives. 

Most machines on the market also require the user to have an air compressor and associated equipment for drying the air and filtering it, reports Kaverman, so you don’t damage the machine’s pneumatic cylinders. “Newer machines are all-electric, with digital control superior to rudimentary pneumatic adjustments.  In addition, the newer all-electric machines are much greener, using a fraction the power of older, electronically-controlled, pneumatic machines.”

Budget and usage will invariably dictate whether to opt for manual or automatic, as well as some of the other options such as the newer all-electric models, said to be greener by using less power than pneumatic machines. Bottom line, Goss recommends looking for a system that is complete with all the supplies you need to get started, is expandable enough to grow with your business, as well as a system that is supported technically with training and a solid warranty. Do so, and be on your way to the profitable business of pad printing.