Print on Paper, Film, Foil-now WATER?!

Published: December 08, 2010

BERDSK, NOVOSIBIRSK, RUSSIA |  Russian-based SUN Innovations Co. presents NEO UV-LED Evolution, claimed a technology that: “100% prints on ANYTHING”—including water.

The company’s equipment reportedly images on “impossible surfaces,” such as furniture, glass windows, iPhones, laptops, even on musical instruments, but now water. has been added to the list.

The technology of printing on water was demonstrated to a wide range of experts in the printing sector at the International Outdoor Advertising Trade Fair "Glasstech" in India, held December 3—5, where SUN Innovations represented the engineering capability of the printing equipment and nano ink.

Oleg Markov, an expert with SUN Innovations, explains, “Due to interfacial tension on the border of water division (surface tension of water is about 72 dyn/cm, and surface tension of nano ink is 28-29 dyn/cm) ink in the form of thin liquid film stays on the surface of water. Then the ink is instantly cured by UV-LED light, the image transforms into the polymeric film, which also stays on the surface of water due to the difference of densities and adhesion.”

Applications of photo printing on water are not clear yet, but new opportunities for printing on liquid surfaces are emerging.

According to the company, the printing equipment is said to offer high levels of efficiency, low energy consumption, and offers “limitless application on almost all surfaces up to a thickness of 200 mm,” with LED curing technology having a life of 45,000 hr. The press is available in two sizes: 1.6 M and 2.5 M.