Pad Printing / Screen Printing

What is Pad Printing / Screen Printing?

Two ink-transfer methods for applying logos, text, or graphics onto a molded surface. Pad printing transfers ink from an etched plate via a silicone pad; screen printing pushes ink through a stencil mesh.

How it works

Pad printing picks up ink from an etched image plate on a soft silicone pad, then presses it onto the part, the pad's flexibility lets it reach curved or uneven surfaces. Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh stencil directly onto a flat or single-curve surface, laying down a thicker, more opaque ink layer.

Benefits

• Low cost per part at volume
• Pad printing handles complex 3D surfaces other marking methods can't reach
• Screen printing gives higher opacity and color saturation on flat or cylindrical surfaces

Applications

Logos and branding on curved housings and buttons with pad printing; graphics, dials, and nameplates on flat or cylindrical parts with screen printing.