SE Series Silicone Ink

Name: SE Series Silicone Ink - Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc.
Brand: Natron
SKU: BISE
Availability: InStock

INK FOR PRINTING PERMANENTLY ON SILICONE

The Natron® SE Series silicone ink is a printing ink made from liquid silicone for pad printing and screen printing on silicone.

This ink bonds permanently to silicone products such as silicone wristbands, silicone mugs, silicone phone cases, silicone cups, oven mitts, swim caps, and more.

The Natron® SE Series adheres permanently to silicone rubber which makes it the perfect ink for promotional products because the design will last as long as the product itself.

The SE Series silicone ink cures with a high-opacity, extremely flexible, high-gloss finish.

It is dishwasher safe, chemical and abrasion resistant and is safety compliant with no heavy metals or toxic chemicals making it safe for use in food packaging, toys, and other consumer-facing products.

Learn how to determine if your product is made from silicone rubber. >

Available Sizes

1Kg(2.2lb)

Hardener

i-300x

Solvents

TMF (Fast)

STB

TDG

Silicone ink colors

There are 41 standard colors, including metallic and neon colors. Additionally, we offer 24-hour turnaround custom color matching services for any color you request. To create new shades, you can mix any two or more colors to create over 1,600 PMS colors. Mixing the colors together does not affect the ink adhesion.

Silicone ink additives

The SE silicone printing ink requires a catalyst to dry and bond to rubber. Thinner is also necessary for changing the ink viscosity depending on the printing method.

Silicone ink catalyst / dryers / hardeners:

Catalyst	Ratio	Notes
LG Catalyst (Default)	10-15% of the ink’s weight	LG catalyst is used for most applications
SC45HPX	10-15% of the ink’s weight	Use this catalyst for fluorosilicone applications

Silicone ink solvents and thinners:

Solvent	Evaporation speed	Pad printing	Screen printing
SF Solvent	Fast	20 – 70%*	n/a
TXM Solvent	Medium	20 – 70%*	n/a
TRM Solvent	Slow	20 – 70%*	5 – 15%
SS Solvent	Retarder	n/a	5 – 15%

*Solvent usage for SE 300 Black ink, use 70% of the ink’s weight.

Tech Specs

Some of this ink’s features include high opacity, high gloss, extreme flexibility, and exceptional adhesion. The SE screen printing ink for silicone wristbands are also dishwasher safe and resistant to alkali and other cleaning chemicals.

The SE Series ink boasts fast drying, high opacity, high gloss, superior resistance to chemicals, abrasion resistance, and is safe for use in toy, industrial, and food packaging applications.

Photo credit (Langer Printing)

Silicone ink mixing and printing instructions

Required ink mixing supplies include:

a scale, mixing sticks, and cups.
The mixing ratio for all ink colors is 10:1, which is 10 parts ink to 1 part catalyst. Mix the ink and the catalyst thoroughly together before adding the solvent.
Add the appropriate thinner (solvent) to change the ink viscosity.

There is no set ratio when adding the solvent/diluent/thinner; use the TDS recommendations as your starting point and experiment to find the best ratio for your application. Lastly, thinner or diluent will not adversely affect the adhesion of the inks to rubber.

Pad printing parameters
Screen printing parameters

Pad Printing Parameters

Use any commercially available pad printing clichés made of ceramic, photopolymer, laser, or steel. For all standard prints, the recommended cliché depth is 25 – 35 μm.

Printing pads

Use silicone pad printing pads. The ink releases from the pad regardless of the hardness (durometer) of the pad.

Printing machines

The Natron SE Series is suitable for both closed-cup and ink-well machines. Use the appropriate thinner for the correct type of machine.

Screen Printing Parameters

Mesh count

Use any commonly available polyester meshes and solvent-resistant emulsions.

Recommended mesh count for most applications, dark material and for high-opacity prints: 200–230 mesh (mesh per inch) count screens.
Fine details and light background materials: 255–305 mesh count.

Emulsion type

Use TX-D (Plastisol, water base, discharge) emulsion on pre-burned screens.

Squeegee

Use 70 durometer squeegee or the 70/90/70 triple durometer which is an excellent choice for more ink lay-down.

Consider 80-durometer squeegee when using 305 – 355 mesh count. Always have and off-contact when screen printing hard goods.

How to Dry and Cure Silicone Ink prints

Use heat to dry, cure, and make the ink stay (bond) on silicone. Depending on the density of the silicone, the range to dry the printed product is 275°F – 400°F for 6 – 10 minutes. Increasing the temperature reduces the cure time.

Silicone Cure Inhibitors

Natron SE Series for printing on silicone rubber and other platinum-based inks will not dry if it comes into contact with sulfur-containing compounds, amines, some urethanes, or organic acids. Therefore, avoid these materials; they will prevent the inks from drying and curing.

Certifications

Experts in all industries rank the Natron SE Series as the best silicone ink in the world. This ink not only boasts a multitude of features, but it has also earned the safety certifications sought by top industry experts across various industries.

Documents

Here are the necessary data sheets.

Safety Data Sheet

Technical Bulletin

Ink Mixing Instructions

RoHS

SE Series Color Chart

Ink Application Chart

Ink Catalog

Product Information

Sustainable

Boston Industrial Solutions uses high purity polymers to formulate this ink. By prioritizing sustainable practices, Boston Industrial Solutions not only reduces waste but also supports the circular economy.

This commitment ensures that our products meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible solutions in various industries.

Silicone Printing: Examples of Applications

Many industries use this ink to print on silicone rubber parts. Industries that use this ink include promotional, medical, toys, drinkware, aerospace, automotive, packaging, and custom silicone molding. Examples of everyday items to screen print with the SE Series include kitchenware, silicone wristbands, silicone swim caps, promotional items, remote controls, and much more.

Industrial application examples include silicone handles for tools, automotive hoses, silicone-coated fiberglass, silicone tubing, etc. Read about the top five silicone applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ink will stick to silicone?

The only ink that can adhere to silicone is a silicone-based ink. Unlike some UV inks or solvent-based inks, the Natron SE Series ink requires heat to cure. Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc., offers the SE Series, the SE-F Series, and the DC Series inks.

What are silicone inks?

Silicone inks are eco-friendly printing inks formulated based on silicone for printing on silicone rubber goods as well as fabrics and leather substrates. Examples of silicone rubber goods are silicone swim caps, silicone wristbands, silicone speaker covers, etc. For rubber goods, you need the SE Series inks. Silicone ink is also used for printing in the textile printing industry. It is a very good substitute for plastisol screen printing inks. SilTex series silicone inks are perfect for printing on textiles.

Does alcohol ink work on silicone?

No, alcohol ink does not work on silicone rubber. Alcohol inks will not permanently adhere/ bond to silicone rubber.

How do you print onto silicone rubber?

Traditional solvent-based or UV-based or alcohol-based printing inks will not stick to silicone rubber products. Nothing sticks to silicone but silicone. This means that only silicone ink can be used to print on silicone rubber wristbands or any silicone part. To print or mark silicone rubber, you need a pad printing machine or a screen printing machine.

What materials can Natron® SE Series print on?

Natron® SE Series is designed specifically for printing on silicone and permanently bonds to silicone rubber products including wristbands, mugs, cups, phone cases, oven mitts, swim caps, and other silicone items.

Is Natron® SE Series safe for food packaging and toys?

Yes. The ink is formulated without heavy metals or toxic chemicals and is suitable for consumer-facing applications including food packaging and toys.

Is Natron® SE Series dishwasher safe and durable?

Yes. Once cured, Natron® SE Series provides excellent dishwasher resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and flexibility for demanding consumer and industrial applications.

Can colors be mixed together?

Yes. Colors can be mixed to create thousands of custom shades without affecting the ink’s adhesion performance.

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