Pad Printing Vs. Screen Printing: Which is better on a ballpoint pen?

What is pad printing?

The basic principle of pad printing is to first put ink into a steel plate engraved with text or patterns on a pad printing machine, then use the ink to copy the text or pattern onto the rubber, and then use the rubber to transfer the text or pattern to the surface of the plastic product. , it is best to cure the ink through heat treatment or ultraviolet light irradiation.

What is screen printing?

In the silk screen printing process, the ink leaks onto the substrate after passing through part of the mesh of the screen. The remaining mesh of the screen is blocked, preventing the ink from passing through. When printing, the ink is poured on the screen. The ink will not leak onto the substrate through the mesh without external force. When the scraper scrapes the ink with a certain pressure and tilt angle, it will transfer through the screen. onto the underlying substrate to replicate the image.

What is the difference between pad printing and screen printing?

Printing area

Pad printing: pad printing has a certain limit to the printing area
Screen printing: basically unlimited printing area, the cost of consumables (screen) is lower, and can be reused.

Product shape

Pad printing: There is no restriction on the shape, flat, curved, wavy, as long as the tip deformation can reach the place can be printed.
Screen Printing: The printing surface of the product should be flat, pure plane or regular curved surface.

Color printing

Pad printing: pad printing machine in a machine can do up to 12 sets of colors, a one-time product printed, and lower cost, suitable for general factory investment
Screen printing: screen printing machine can also do multi-color overprinting, but multi-color overprinting screen printing machine price is very expensive, not suitable for general factory investment, manual walking table one-time multi-color overprinting occupies a large area, more labor.

Which is better on a ballpoint pen?

If your logo consists of a single color, choosing screen printing may be a good option. This is because screen printing can easily achieve precise printing with a single color.
However, if your logo includes multiple colors, pad printing may be more suitable. Pad printing can handle complex multi-color designs, while screen printing may encounter color registration errors when multiple colors are applied, leading to color inconsistencies. Pad printing generally allows for more precise application of multiple colors, ensuring color consistency and accuracy.
In summary, for logos with multiple colors, pad printing is typically the better choice as it provides better color registration, ensuring that your logo looks more accurate and refined on the product. For single-color logos, screen printing may be more cost-effective and efficient.

Site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies.