Pad printing is an indirect method of printing, a combination
of offset & gravure printing process. Plate system is like gravure & printing
system is like offset. In gravure printing, design is etched on a roller whereas
in pad printing, flat plate carries an image. A rubber blanket, in offset process,
picks up image from the plate & transfer it on the substrate. Similarly a
solid mass of rubber called pad, picks up ink from the etched plate & prints
on the substrate hence the process is known as pad printing.
The
next time you open a bag of candy with a printed shell, take a pain reliever with
a printed logo, hit a golf ball, check the time on a clock, or look at a fuel
gauge, you'll see examples of objects that were printed with a pad printer.
The history of pad printing is one of modern technology and innovation, used to
solve historically vexing printing operations. A unique process that facilitates
the printing of three-dimensional and textured objects, pad printing utilizes
a soft silicone pad pressed against an inked printing plate. The pad picks up
the ink and is pressed against the surface of the item to be printed to transfer
the image. Also called "cliché" printing, the technology
used in pad printing has evolved to apply other liquids during manufacture, such
as the application of lubricants, glue and electrical coatings for industrial
goods, or printing logos and coloring, flavorings, vitamins and other additives
to food and pharmaceuticals.