Universal Inks

Universal Type FD Marker Ink is a fast drying petroleum base inks which is formulated for use in refillable felt tip marking pens only. These dye type inks contain translucent dye colorants which are best used to mark on materials with light colored surfaces. The Type FD Inks dry in a few seconds and are use for both porous and non-porous surfaces. Call for more info.

Universal Type D Stencil Ink is an alcohol base, non-porous, heavily pigmented ink formulated for use with roller and pad stenciling systems. This ink is weather proof and fade resistant and dries in approximately 1 minute at 75 degree F. temperatures. Formulated specifically for marking on metals, plastics, glass and other non-porous surfaces. Also excellent for marking on wood crates, pallets and other porous surfaces where fade and weather resistance is required. Suitable for use in Non-Porous Coders with resulting dry times of 10-15 seconds.

Universal Type M Stencil Ink is an alcohol base, non-porous, heavily pigmented ink formulated for use with roller and pad stenciling systems and Non-Porous Coders. This ink is similar in formulation to the Type D Stencil Ink but dries in half the time. Recommended for applications that require stenciling in very cold environments such as refrigerated storage areas or outdoors in cold climates. This ink is not recommended for stenciling applications in warmer temperatures as it will dry out in the rollers very rapidly.

Universal #1150 Coder Inks are high quality glycol base coder inks formulated for use with our HP-100 and HP-200 series hand printers and all fix mounted coders for applications requiring printing on corrugated cartons, paper and other porous surfaces. These inks will never dry on metal, plastic or other non-porous surfaces at normal room temperatures.

Universal #100 Coder Inks are extremely fast drying alcohol base coder inks formulated primarily for marking on plastic, metal, glass, rubber and other non-porous surfaces. These inks are recommended for use with Non-Porous Hand Printers and Non-Porous fixed mount coders. The #100 ink will dry in approximately 2 seconds at 75 degree F. ambient temperatures when applied with a non-porous coder.

Number 100 Non-Porous Ink
Non Porous dries in approximately 2 seconds.
Number 1150 Ink
Porous Ink for Universal Roller Coders
Type D Ink
Suitable for use in Non-Porous Coders dry times of 10-15 seconds.

Type M Ink
Suitable for use in Non-Porous Coders with resulting dry times of 5-7 seconds.

4 oz Reservoir Bottle #1150 Ink Pack of 4

$48.80

Select Options

Empty 4 oz Reservoir Ink Bottle Dozen

$49.32

Add To Cart

4 oz Reservoir Bottle #100 Ink Pack of 4

$56.36

Select Options

Universal utilizes two basic solvent types in the manufacture of inks, glycol and alcohol. Glycol solvent is used in ink for marking on porous surfaces such as cardboard and dries through absorption. Alcohol solvents are used in inks for marking on Non-Porous surfaces such as metal and plastic and dry through evaporation of the solvents. The blend of alcohols in these inks determine the speed by which the solvents evaporate or dry. In addition to solvent variations, some inks are pigmented, which contain ground solids to impart color to the ink and some are dye type which contain liquid color. It is important to thoroughly understand the characteristics of the various inks prior to making a selection for a particular application. The type of ink selected must be compatible with both the material being marked and the applicator with which the ink will be applied. Inks designed for non-porous surfaces can be used on porous surfaces if faster drying times or weather resistance is required but this increases ink costs and may require different application equipment.

DRYING CHARACTERISTICS

Universal stenciling and marking inks dry in one of two ways. Porous surface inks dry through absorption into the material being marked, leaving the pigment or dye color in the material fibers. Corrugated cartons and kraft paper are good examples of porous surfaced materials. Since inks are not capable of being absorbed into a non-porous surface, such as metal or plastic, non-porous inks dry through evaporation of the ink solvents, leaving the dye or pigment on the surface of the material. Some amount of resin or “binder” is added to the formulation to bind the pigment or dye to the surface once the solvents have dissipated. The amount and type of resin used in the formulation determines the ability of the ink to resist chipping, peeling, weathering and subsequent solvent resistance. It is also important to note that the ambient temperature and humidity in the area where inks are applied can have a dramatic affect on the drying characteristics of inks. Generally speaking, the warmer the ambient temperature and the lower the humidity, the faster the inks will dry.

FADE RESISTANCE

In applications where resistance to fading is required, generally only pigmented inks will perform satisfactorily. Most dye type inks will fade rapidly when exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods. Since pigmented inks contain layers of finely ground solids when applied, they are much more resistant to fading and will perform somewhat like an exterior paint. For fade and weather resistance, it is generally recommended to use a non-porous pigmented ink even on porous surface materials. The additional amount of resin in these ink formulations help to hold the pigments in place under exposure to water spray and abrasion.

APPLICATION METHODS

Since there are so many types of inks available from various suppliers, it is important to understand the effect different ink solvents can have on the materials used in the ink applicators. In the case of the foam rubber materials used in the production of stencil rollers, pads and coding rollers, the type of foam used, whether synthetic or natural rubber, will determine its compatibility with specific solvents. There are far too many factors to consider to list them all within the context of this article but we strongly recommend that you consult with our Customer Service or Engineering Departments for specific recommendations if you have any doubt about applicator/ink compatibility.

Universal Inks

Products [3]

DRYING CHARACTERISTICS

FADE RESISTANCE

APPLICATION METHODS

Mailing List