What is Hydrographic Dripping and How Does it Work?

Introduction

Hydrographic dripping is known by many names such as water transfer printing, hydro dripping, hydrographic, immersion printing and cubic printing. It is a revolutionary graphics printing process that uses water as the main medium for printing graphics, patterns, and designs on 3-dimensional surfaces such as objects. The printing is done mainly for cosmetic and decorative purposes rather than protective processes, such as applying designs on metal, plastic and fiber surfaces.

It is unknown who invented the very first hydrographic printing apparatus, however, there were a few patents applied in the US for such machines in the early 1980s. While much information about the patents is not widely known, it used an early variation of the current system used for water-based printing. It is believed to be a test run for any later developments. In the late 1990s, some companies in the US created their own patented technology of water immersion printing and started applying the process on a wide range of consumer products such as watches, appliances, and car interiors.

How is it done?

The basic process of hydrographic dripping involves a treated object which is to be coated, a hydrographic film printed with the desired design and a dipping tank. The object to be dipped is properly cleaned and coated to get rid of any irregularities on its surface. After treatment, the film is placed on the water surface. The base of the film is dissolved using special solutions, leaving only the printed design on the surface of the water. The object is then dipped slowly into the water, resulting in the design being imprinted on its surface.

The Science behind Hydrographic Dripping

While different firms use their own patented variations of the dipping process, the underlying science behind it is always the same. A special solution is poured onto the water surface on the top of the film. It dissolves the non-printed parts, leaving behind only the part printed with ink in the surface of the water. When the object is dipped into water, high surface tension created by water results in the design sticking completely to the surface of the object. It is non-removable due to strong sticking properties of water, hence the print designs are very durable and long lasting.