Application Spotlight - UV Inkjet Printed Membrane Switch Overlays

UV inkjet printers are expanding outside of standard sign and display applications and shifting to more industrial flatbed printing applications

The high print speeds and high quality production capacity of UV inkjet are allowing printers to produce membrane switch overlays faster and more economically than traditional screen printing.

While most membrane switch overlays are printed on polyester, polycarbonate is also used. One setback with UV inkjet printing on uncoated polycarbonate is weaker ink adhesion with common signage applications. The same holds true with printing membrane switch overlays. Tekra’s JetView Polycarbonate has a print receptive coating that is designed to solve this problem by improving ink adhesion when printing on UV inkjet presses.

Recent testing has been done with Oce’ on the 480 GT UV flatbed printer. Printed membrane switch overlay samples were tested using ASTM D3359 cross hatch tape test. When testing the uncoated printed samples, the UV ink had a stronger bond to the tape than to the polycarbonate, pulling the ink off the film and damaging the print. The JetView coated samples passed with no ink separating from the film. Providing enhanced UV ink adhesion, JetView Polycarbonate is the solution for more demanding applications, like membrane switch overlays.

The JetView Polycarbonate line is stocked in 5, 7, 10, and 15 mil thicknesses in gloss/gloss, velvet/gloss, velvet/matte, and a hardcoat option. For easy compatibility on your UV inkjet press, JetView Polycarbonate is available in both rolls and sheets. Additional gauges and finishes can be made on a custom basis. Tekra also stocks JetView Polyester for UV inkjet in a variety of thicknesses.

Consider JetView Polycarbonate for your next UV inkjet application. Call Tekra today for free printed and unprinted samples.

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