{"id":38028,"date":"2026-10-26T17:59:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T16:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermoflan.com\/?p=37099"},"modified":"2026-10-31T00:05:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T23:05:04","slug":"pad-printing-in-the-medical-field-process-and-applications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermoflan.com\/en\/2026\/10\/26\/pad-printing-in-the-medical-field-process-and-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"Pad printing in the medical field: process and applications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pad printing in the medical field is used to print graduations, references and symbols on syringes, catheters or surgical instruments. This article presents the process, the devices concerned, the inks and their drying, then the qualification requirements. Finally, it gives you the criteria for choosing the machine suited to your production.<\/p>\n\n

How does a medical pad printing machine work?<\/h2>\n\n

Pad printing is an indirect printing technique. The design does not pass directly from the tool to the part: it is first engraved on a printing plate (clich\u00e9), picked up by a silicone pad, then deposited onto the substrate to be marked. Each step has its own settings.<\/p>\n

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\"pad<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

From design to engraved printing plate<\/h3>\n\n

The printing process begins by defining the design, its dimensions and its position tolerances. Once these parameters are set, the design is engraved as recesses on a steel or polymer printing plate. These recesses will then hold the ink at the exact locations of the drawing.<\/p>\n\n

The engraving method depends on the type of printing plate. A photopolymer plate is prepared by exposure and then development. Other plates, by contrast, are engraved directly by laser.<\/p>\n\n

From inking to transfer onto the part<\/h3>\n\n

Thermoflan’s Universal machines use a closed inkwell: the inkwell fills the recesses of the printing plate, then its ring acts as a doctor blade to remove the excess ink from the surface. Only the engraved areas remain inked. The silicone pad then descends onto the plate and picks up the image.<\/p>\n\n

The pad then moves toward the part to transfer the design. Its flexibility allows it to mark flat, curved, concave, convex, or slightly textured surfaces. The industrial pad printing machine<\/a> coordinates the plate, inking, the pad, its movement, and the part holding to repeat this cycle.<\/p>\n\n

Settings and defects to watch for<\/h3>\n\n

Marking precision depends on factors such as part positioning, pressure, stroke, contact time, and pad speed. In practice, the advertised performance of a machine does not guarantee that of the finished print. On a curved part, the shape of the pad also matters: excessive speed can make it oscillate and distort the design.<\/p>\n\n

Missing areas or irregular outlines can come from the plate, the doctoring, ink pickup, the pad, or a contaminated surface. If you see smudging or misalignment, also check the pressure and how the part is held.<\/p>\n\n

Which medical devices can be marked?<\/h2>\n\n

The soft pad reaches areas that other processes struggle to mark. Pad printing therefore covers a wide range of medical parts, provided their geometry and material are suitable for the process.<\/p>\n

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\"Universal<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

From syringes to surgical instruments<\/h3>\n\n

Pad printing on a syringe makes it possible to print its graduations, and it is also possible to mark inscriptions on vials and surgical equipment. Other uses of pad printing on a medical device include catheters, fixators, connectors, housings and ostomy pouches. Small characters, logos and markings on components with complex shapes also fall into this category. Thermoflan has extensive experience with this type of marking, with installations at medical industry players.<\/p>\n\n

What information should be printed on the part?<\/h3>\n\n

The information to be printed depends on the device’s intended use, its labelling and traceability requirements, and the manufacturer’s technical file. Not all of it needs to appear directly on each part.<\/p>\n\n

Depending on the specifications, the marking may carry several types of data:<\/p>\n\n