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A mirror print is a design feature accomplished by a UV cylindrical inkjet printer.
A UV cylindrical inkjet printer is a printing machine for straight and tapered cylinders. These machines achieve full-color graphics on a number of substrates such as glassware, plastic, stainless steel, coated metals and more. The technology can be further explored by reading the article: What to Look for in a Cylindrical Bottle Printer
Mirror print also known as sandwich print is a design method available only with cylindrical inkjet printers. This design mechanism is meant to showcase artwork from all angles of the vessel such as below. It is mainly for clear substrates such as glass and plastic.
When using a UV cylindrical inkjet printer to print, a layer of white is used behind the color to ensure uniformity and vibrancy across all products. When printing on glassware or clear plastics, this white backing shows through to the inside of the vessel. This white canvas is the perfect opportunity to showcase branding and other design elements such as a hidden message or even the same image.
The mirror print design technique first starts out with printing the image facing inward. Then, a layer of white is printed on top and then the image is printed again on top facing outward. This diagram below showcases the process.
Taking this a step further, the image printed inward toward the inside of the product does not always have to be the same image as printed outward. While the outline must match, the inside could simply be a colored background with a message. There are a number of possibilities when it comes to printing with a UV cylindrical inkjet printer.
When mirror printing, the whole process takes place at once within the machine. There is no need to remove the product to realign the vessel to place it back onto the machine.
Pictured: Helix Digital Cylinder Printer
First and foremost, mirror printing will add time to your printing process. To put it into perspective, the additional time can be calculated as less than half the time for the artwork by itself. This can differ across products.
We have programmed all our cylindrical inkjet printers to be able to achieve mirror print. Some may print faster than others, but this design technique is available across the line.
Our full line-up of UV inks can achieve a mirror print because the design is created by the machine. The UV ink that will work for your substrate is chosen based on the substrate you are printing on and the adhesion requirements. For example, glassware will use a glass pre-treatment system and DL Series UV ink for glass to achieve the perfect, dishwasher-proof print.
Have one of cylindrical inkjet printers and want to mirror print? Contact our Inkjet Tech Service Team
Interested in purchasing one of our cylindrical inkjet printers? Contact a Sales Representative in your area.
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