# Pad printing cylindrical objects all the way around



## timemachine (Jun 10, 2017)

Hi first time poster here, had a few questions

Is pad printed ink safe? Does it peel off or come off in any way? Can small pieces of it for example come off and get into the eyes of an infant? Are there manual printers commercially available that allow you to print all the way around an object, for example a pen? How is printing all over a cylindrical object usually done if for example it can't be held at any higher or lower point of the 'shaft' of the object but rather only at the tip/end (e.g. suction?)?

Thanks for reading, will check your responses in the morning


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## herokid (Jul 22, 2016)

timemachine said:


> Hi first time poster here, had a few questions
> 
> Is pad printed ink safe? Does it peel off or come off in any way? Can small pieces of it for example come off and get into the eyes of an infant? Are there manual printers commercially available that allow you to print all the way around an object, for example a pen? How is printing all over a cylindrical object usually done if for example it can't be held at any higher or lower point of the 'shaft' of the object but rather only at the tip/end (e.g. suction?)?
> 
> Thanks for reading, will check your responses in the morning


I do not pad print but if not mistaken the inks are epoxy base and the chemicals involved in pad printing are harsh. I do not think the print would wear off quickly come off etc. however I strongly do feel there may be special safety guidelines when it comes to printed items for infants/toddlers.


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## decocris (Nov 17, 2017)

There are many kinds of pad print inks available today including non-toxic ones for use on children's toys, medical products. Ink is typically chosen based on its adhesion properties. Different inks will adhere better on certain material types.

I would recommend searching for a local pad print dealer in your area and speaking to one of their sales people they can probably get you exactly what you need.

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In regards to printing on cylindrical objects, the nature of pad printing prevents it from printing all the way around an object. This will vary on factors like the shape of the object, the shape of the pad using to print, ink used etc. You begin to get distortion if you attempt to print too far around a cylinder though. This could be accounted for in the printing plate. Depending on your machine you might be able to have it rotate the object and print all the way around in several parts/passes. Otherwise, screen printing is typically used for cylindrical objects.


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