We often hear about the need for partial UV on book printing covers. So what is UV technology? UV is actually an abbreviation of ultraviolet. In the printing industry, it is a special ink processing technology, also known as UV coating technology. The cover of a booklet treated with partial UV can make the highlighted parts clearer. For example, after undergoing partial UV treatment, a logo can appear raised and exceptionally shiny, giving it a three-dimensional and artistic effect.
UV technology is divided into two categories based on the area covered: full UV and partial UV.
Partial UV, as mentioned earlier, has been illustrated with an example. Full UV effects are generally less apparent. On the surface, it resembles gloss coating but with a brighter shine. However, it does not offer protection to the surface of the printed material. Gloss coating, on the other hand, provides some protection, such as scratch resistance. If you smell it, it has a distinct plastic odor.
There are various types of UV inks, each with unique gloss and texture, including mirror ink, matte ink, foaming ink, wrinkled ink, hammered ink, colorful sand ink, snowflake ink, ice flower ink, pearlescent ink, crystal ink, and laser ink, among others. The most common one is mirror UV, which, as the name suggests, makes the surface resemble a mirror after UV treatment. It feels smooth to the touch, and there is a clear boundary between the UV-treated area and the rest of the printed material, creating a sense of depth.
The equipment used for UV curing is called a UV curing machine, which works by curing UV ink through ultraviolet light exposure. Partial UV can be applied either after lamination or directly on the printed material. However, to highlight the effect, it’s generally done after lamination, with cold lamination being the most common method, accounting for about 80% of partial UV products. Printed materials treated with UV are generally difficult to recycle.