UV-LED printing has become hugely popular in the last decade thanks to its instant, low-temperature curing and its ability to print highly durable designs onto almost any substrate.

A key benefit of UV printing is the ability to add gloss or clear ink. When printed and cured, this special ink takes on a rigid, 3D appearance. This simple functionality unlocks new print effects, textures, and capabilities which can enhance printed products and ultimately generate more profit.

Let’s look at some of the things you can do with gloss UV ink.

Print Spot UV Highlights

One of the simplest uses of gloss ink is to highlight important areas of the design with an eye-catching gloss varnish effect. This spot UV technique is particularly useful if you want to call attention to a logo or an important promotional message. It can also be used very effectively to highlight liquids like water droplets, giving a realistic effect.

Print Embossed and Debossed Effects

At the level of mass production, embossed effects require a custom-made die or stamp. When it comes to smaller runs or packaging mock-ups, it’s prohibitively expensive to recreate this effect using the same method. This is part of the reason why UV printing has become very popular in the field of packaging prototypes and design, offering the ability to produce a convincing embossed effect quickly and cost effectively.

Print Texture Effects

Building up layers of gloss ink can generate realistic printed textures for a variety of products. For example, you can print an animal skin texture for luxury items or print a wood-grain texture for haptic proofs used in interior design. You can even use it to reproduce an attractive oil painting, complete with textured brush strokes.

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