How to Select the Correct Pad

Selecting a pad is a critical step in ensuring a perfect print. At Automark we help customers select pads and have a deep understanding of how each of the following criteria creates the perfect print.

The first step in selecting a pad is determining the size of the image that will need to be printed. Looking at the image size and rough shape of the image helps guide us on the dimensions of the pad along with the shape of the pad.
 
The second step is to know what type of surface will be printed on including the surface morphology.  Pad durometer, or how hard or soft the pad is, plays a large role in releasing the image onto the part appropriately.  Rough, flat, and even hard surfaces need a harder pad.  Curved surfaces or fragile objects, like champagne flutes, would require a very soft or even hollow pad to achieve a wrap of the image or placing the image onto the part without damaging it. 
 
The third factor when selecting a pad is the environment where printing will occur. A high static environment, usually dry, or when printing on high static plastic parts, would require an anti-static pad. If static continues to be a problem we would recommend implementing other anti-static options to control static so it does not ruin your prints.
 
The fourth item to consider when selecting a pad for pad printing is the selected ink type. Epoxy based inks break down standard quality pads quickly, so our red silicone pads are used since they are built for durability. Silicone inks inherently stick to silicone so it is important to use a harder pad and clean the pad often with tape.   Glass inks like to be pre-cured on the pad to release the image fully, so they usually require pad blowers to keep speeds ramped up or the machine can be slowed considerably to pre-cure the ink on the pad. This is very helpful when using Marabu’s TPGL ink to print on glass. 
For complex parts, like parts that have recessed areas where images are printed or parts that have many surface levels, a pad can be developed or even cut to allow the pad to pick up and deliver the images across the entire part so marking can be done in one print.
It is important to note, recessed images are often difficult to print as they trap air between the pad and the part preventing the image from being released from the pad.  It is best to always test this recessed printing before assuming a soft pad can deliver images inside these recessions.
 
Points and peaks of the pad can be offset from the image to act like a beveled pad smoothly releasing the print onto the part.  Pads have these points and peaks so they release the image evenly over the part allowing for beautiful image reproduction time and again. 
 
Feel free to visit our online pad catalog to get a feeling of the types of pad we normally stock. 
For more assistance in selecting the correct pad for your printing application or for pad development, feel free to reach out to the Automark team.

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