Hydrographics (printing)

Water transfer printing is a surface coating method for applying different patterns and designs to three-dimensional shaped objects.

Areas of application

One of the biggest areas of application can be found in the automotive industry again. In most cases here car interior parts are coated in burl wood or carbon look. Even in the sea, air and space This technique is applied. Here, for example, the covers of cockpit instruments as well as various interior elements for the sake of saving weight treated accordingly. Here, almost all surfaces can be finished in almost every conceivable two - and three-dimensional shapes by water transfer printing.

Description of the procedure

A decal is printed on a special water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol film. If necessary, the parts to be coated are primed and / or coated with a base color ( base coat ). The ink film is laid on the water surface of the dip tank and sprayed with an activator. The carrier substance dissolves and releases the previously printed decoration in liquid form on the water surface. It is preserved in its form. The parts to be coated are immersed through the floating ink layer in the water bath. By the pressure of the water of the decorative film is pressed uniformly on the portions. He adheres to them, thus creating the desired pattern. The printed parts are then cleaned to remove the excess polyvinyl alcohol base layer of the film, and then dried.

For the protection of the decor, the printed parts are protected with clear lacquer. The choice of the topcoat and the quality of the paint thereby determine significantly the light-resistance and abrasion resistance of the finished parts.

For large quantities of a fully automated machine is possible, which is able to work through the necessary steps in an automated water transfer printing line.