Glossing Over Differences

Substrate and equipment concerns plot printers on either the aqueous or UV route to high-gloss printing.

by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor

UV-CURABLE FORMULATIONS are the big hitters of the coatings and adhesives market—offering remarkable gloss and great abrasion-, heat-, and chemical-resistance. Slightly less high-performance, yet in some cases more predictable, aqueous adhesives and coatings serve as reliable all-rounders. Suppliers say choosing between them depends on the nature of the job, and the equipment, at hand.