Which is Better? High-Speed Cylinder Printer or UV Printer?

High-speed 360° rotary cylinder printers have become popular in recent years, and the market for them is still developing. People often choose these printers because they print bottles quickly. In contrast, UV printers, which can print on a variety of flat substrates like wood, glass, metal, and acrylic, are not as fast at printing bottles. This is why even those who own UV printers often opt to buy a high-speed rotary bottle printer as well.

But what specific differences account for their varying speeds? Let's explore this in the article.

First, it's important to understand that UV flatbed printers and high-speed bottle printers are fundamentally different machines.

A UV flatbed printer prints piece by piece and can print on bottles only when equipped with a rotary device that rotates the bottle. The printer then prints line by line as the bottle rotates along the X axis, creating a wrap-around image. In contrast, a high-speed rotary cylinder printer is designed specifically for rotary printing. It has a carriage that moves along the X axis while the bottle rotates in place, allowing it to print in one pass.

Another difference is that UV flatbed printers require different rotary devices to fit various bottle shapes. The device for a tapered bottle is different from that for a straight bottle, and the one for a mug is different from that for a bottle without a handle. Therefore, you typically need at least two different rotary devices to accommodate different types of cylinders. In contrast, a high-speed cylinder printer has an adjustable clamp that can fit various kinds of cylinders and bottles, whether tapered, curved, or straight. Once adjusted, it can repeatedly print the same design without needing to be set up again.

One advantage of UV flatbed printers over high-speed rotary printers is their ability to print on mugs. The design of the cylinder printer means it cannot rotate cylinders with handles, so if you primarily print mugs, a UV flatbed printer or a sublimation printer might be a better choice.

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