UV inks are cured with UV light from either UV lamps or LEDs, the up-and-coming evolutionary step of this technology. When the ink drops onto the printing material, a layer containing the colorant sticks to the surface of the substrate and is instantly hardened by intense UV/LED light polymerization (curing).
UV ink is a key consumable for UV printers. The UV inkjet ink chosen for your digital printer should depend on the product you are decorating as specialty inks work best for specific substrates.
Solvent UV inks combine the best elements of solvent and UV technology to overcome the weaknesses in each type of ink.
There are a number of different types of ink that are commonly used for wide format. Most are mature technologies that have been around for a while and are easily understood. So, we think of solvent inks as being relatively inexpensive and best used for flexible materials, while UV inks will adhere well to a wide range of substrates and are mainly used with rigid media.
Eco-solvent inks have their colours suspended in a mild biodegradable solvent, which means that the ink has virtually no odour as they don't contain as many volatile organic compounds. They've been around since the early 2000s and originally were designed for general signage work.