Publish Time: 2026-04-27 Origin: Raymio Eyewear
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Pad printing is one of the most popular printing options for all kinds of eyewear, almost every pieces in our factory's daily production will use it to print inside information for temples. But we can also use pad printing in many other parts of eyeglasses. As a professional eyewear manufacturer, and has +15 years experience in this industry, we will introduce the pad printing for you by using text, pictures and videos. Hoping after reading this article, you'll know clearly about this printing method, no matter you are engaged in the eyewear industry or ordinary individual consumer. |
Danica Yang |
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What is Pad Printing?
Generally, pad printing is an indirect transfer process, it uses soft silicone pad to pick up the ink from the etched grooves on the steel plate, and transfer the logo, text information or marks to curved surfaces, irregular shapes and narrow areas. We can also call it transfer printing.
In our daily production process, the printing workers will use specialized pad printing machines for assistance when they are printing information onto the eyeglasses.
The pad printing is usually suitable for the following parts of eyeglasses:
Inner or outer side of temples (both right and left)
Inner or outer side of tips (both right and left)
Lens surface
Curved surface
Narrow surface
Small logo or tiny letters marking
Model code, color code and size mark
CE mark (Conformité Européenne)
UKCA mark (UK Conformity Assessed)
Suitable printing for any materials of eyeglasses, like plastic, metal, TR90, titanium and acetate
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Pad printing of inner side temple |
Pad printing of metal temple |
Pad printing of tiny letters |
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Pad printing of arched surface |
Pad printing of rubber temple |
Pad printing of lens surface |
How to Pad Printing?
Etch Printing Plate
Clients will provide the artwork of their brand logo, CE mark, model codes, text information, the printing position and the printing size to manufacturer, then the factory will etch all the printing information onto a thin steel plate according to the client's requirements. The pattern on the steel plate is debossed effect.
The etching steel plate in the eyewear industry, we usually use photochemical etching, also call it photosentitve etching. This etching method features high precision and is suitable for small characters and logos.
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Photochemical Etching |
Ink Filling
When the steel plate is finished etching, the worker will apply the ink onto the surface of steel plate, then use a scraper to rempove the excess ink from the surface, and leaving only the ink in the grooves of the pattern.
The ink colors can be customized according to the Pantones. Generally, most of our clients choose single color like white, black, grey, silver and gold.
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Worker is Filling Ink on Steel Plate |
Silicone Pad Absorbing Ink
Install the clean soft silicone pad onto the pad printing machine, then the worker will press it onto the steel plate (which has etching patterns already). The silicone pad will absorb the ink from the etching pattern, and the pattern will be on the silicone pad completely.
The shape and size of silicone pads will be different, so it can be used in different parts and size of eyeglasses.
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Different Types of Silicone Pad |
Silicone Pad Absorbs Ink |
Transfer to Product Surface
The silicone pad with pattern ink will be moved to designated position on the eyeglasses by worker through machine, then pressing gently, and the customized printing information will be inner or outer side of temples, tips or lens.
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Transfer Printing Information to Inner Side Temple Surface |
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Drying Pad Printing Patterns
There are usually 3 different levels of natural air-drying at room temperature.
Take 5 - 10 minutes, only the surface is dry, but not sticky.
Take 24 hours, fully dried, resistant to friction, and the paint is not peeling easily. This is standard drying time for pad printing in eyewear industry, then the workers can assemble and packaging the eyeglasses normally.
Take 48 hours, the printing is firmly fixed, resistant to scratching and alcohol, does not fade over time.
If the bulk orders requires expedited shipment, factory will use following 3 methods of quick-drying.
Cold Air Fan Drying
It'll take 5-8 minutes.
Low Temperature Baking (oven temperature is 40-50°C)
It'll take 20-25 minutes.
Add Quick-dry Thinner
It'll take 3-5 minutes.
Different materials of eyeglasses is suggested to use different drying methods of pad printing.
TR90
The matrial properties of TR90 is not tolerant of hight temperature, the temperature must be ≤50℃. So to dry the pad printing on plastic and TR90 eyeglasses, the factory will use cold air fan drying or add quick-dry thinner.
Metal & Titanium & Alloy
The material properties of metal, titanium and alloy eyeglasses is in good adhesion and high temperature resistance. So the factory usually use cold air fan drying for 3 minutes and then use low-temperature baking for 15-20 minutes.
Acetate
The material properties of acetate will turn white and is prone to discoloration when it is exposed to high temperature. So the factory will use cold air fan drying.
PC & ABS
The material of properties of plastic and ABS can't bear the high temperature, so the factory will use cold air fan drying and add quick-dry thinner.
Final Inspections
When all the eyeglasses of the order are finished pad printing, the workers will do quality inspection for each pair. The quality inspections include printing clarity, printing position, printing color difference and printing ink dropout situation. The defective products will be picked out and reprint them, the qualified products will be sent for cleaning and packaging.
What is Advantages of Pad Printing?
Adapt to Irregular Surfaces
Pad printing is suitable for printing logo and text information onto the irregular shapes, curved surfaces, spherical surfaces, embossed surfaces and debossed surfaces of temples, tips, lens and end piece.
High Printing Accuracy
Pad printing is suitable for printing small text, logos, CE codes, UKCA mark, model numbers, mini characters, and it can be printed clearly.
Wide Materials Applicable
Pad printing can be used for almost all kinds materials of eyeglasses, such as plastic, ABS, metal, TR90, acetate, titanium, TPEE, silicone gel and rubber.
Low Cost
The cost of pad printing compared with other printing methods is much lower, and the patterns of printing information can be revised very quickly. It is suitable for making samples, small-batch and large-batch production, especially the individual clients who owns eyewear shops can choose to use pad printing, it is much highly cost effective.
Smooth Ink Layer
The ink layer of pad printing is thin and smooth.
Multi-color Options
Pad printing can use single color, bicolor and multi-color to printing custom logos.
What is Disadvantages of Pad Printing?
Not Suitable for Big Pattern Printing
Pad printing is not fit for large scale pattern printing, it is more suitable for small area text, logos and identification marks.
Ink Drying Slowly
The ink of pad printing is drying a bit slowly, it'll need different drying methods when printing on different materials of eyeglasses.
Consumable Loss
The silicone pad, steel plates, ink and thinner are all consumables, and there will be ongoing costs for these materials over time.
Color Fastness is Average
The color adhension of pad printing on the surface of eyeglasses is generally not so firm as heat printing and laser engraving. With daily use and friction, the printed patterns will peel off, and the alcohol can remove them easily.
"Each printing methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, the key lies in choosing the appropriate method to print different information on different parts of eyeglasses."