UV on Metal

UV Printing on Metal

Coated metal takes UV ink well and is the standard for industrial nameplates and branded drinkware.

Substrates: Aluminum, stainless steel, brass (coated)

Settings that work

Temperature	No heat
Press time	3–8 minutes
Pressure	N/A
Peel	N/A
Wash care	Dry wipe

Settings are a starting point, not gospel. Film batches, ink lots and press calibration all shift the ideal number — always pull-test a sample before a paid run.

What goes wrong, and how to fix it

Problem	Fix
Ink will not bond to bare steel	Metal needs a coating or primer. Bare stainless has too low surface energy.
Print chips at the edges	Deburr and round edges before printing.

Good fit

Nameplates
Water bottles
Tools and equipment tags

Where it fails

Untreated aluminum
Galvanized steel

What to buy for metal

Weekly volume	Machine class	Why
Small items (cases, pens, keychains)	A5 / A4 flatbed	One object at a time. Enough for gift orders, too slow for batch retail.
Up to 30 × 45 cm (plaques, tumblers with jig)	A3 flatbed	The default size for gift and promo work. Add a rotary jig for cylinders.
Signs, panels, batch cases	4060 / 6090 flatbed	Bed size decides throughput. A 6090 prints a full panel in one pass.

Volume bands assume one operator and a standard 38 × 38 cm press. Verify with a sample before committing to a machine size.