Sun Studio, a direct UV printing studio in Al Quoz, Dubai, prints artwork straight onto glass, aluminium, bottles, tumblers, cans and cups for businesses in all seven emirates. Because the ink is cured directly onto the surface, there is no sticker, vinyl film or label to lift or peel.
Its clients include fit-out contractors, architects and interior designers, signage companies, fragrance and beverage brands, hotels and corporate gifting buyers. Jobs run from a single sample piece to full production runs.
What is UV printing?
UV printing is a digital process that jets ink onto an object and cures it instantly with ultraviolet light. The ink hardens on the surface, so there is no vinyl to lift at the corners and no label edge to peel.
It works on glass, metal, acrylic, wood, stone and many plastics. A layer of white ink can sit under the colour so artwork stays bright on clear glass or dark metal, or it can be left out so the material shows through the design.
Large glass printing in Dubai: how big can a panel be?
Panel size is the first question on most glass jobs. Sun Studio prints large panels on an IQDEMY EVO 2500, a belt flatbed 2.5 metres wide that carries the glass through the machine, so the press sets no limit on length. Smaller panels run on a Direct Color Systems UV84 flatbed with a 4 x 8 ft bed, about 1.2 x 2.4 metres.
Sun Studio's glass projects include five office panels, each 3 metres tall and 1 metre wide, for a managing director's office, and a single artwork spread across a run of panels 10 metres wide and 2.4 metres tall at the DreamDraw offices. At The Dubai Mall, the studio colour-matched light blue printed glass balustrade panels. In Abu Dhabi, it printed glass for Umm Al Emarat Park.
Sun Studio's glass printing service covers interior and protected glass: office partitions, meeting rooms, glass doors, kitchen splashbacks, feature panels and shopfront glass inside malls. The client supplies the glass already cut, drilled and processed, and Sun Studio prints it. Artwork can go on the front face or on the back, seen through the glass, with full or selective white ink behind it.
The studio is clear about one limit. UV print is for interior and protected glass, while façades and structural glazing need fired ceramic frit, applied by the glass processor during toughening.
UV printing on aluminium and metal
Sun Studio prints on bare, brushed, polished, anodised and powder-coated aluminium, on stainless steel and on other coated metals. Sheets and plates run on the UV84's 4 x 8 ft bed. Aluminium composite panel (ACP) runs on the 2.5 metre EVO 2500, so a standard 1220 x 2440 mm sheet fits across the belt and a sign-scale panel prints in one piece rather than in tiles.
White ink under the colour keeps a brand colour true on metal. Leaving the white out lets brushed or polished aluminium shine through the image. The studio can also build raised, textured ink up to 6 mm high for logos, lettering and braille.
For Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sun Studio printed historical photographs and text directly onto aluminium display panels, with no laminate edge to lift in a display case. Metal is degreased before printing, an adhesion promoter is used where the surface needs one, and fabricated parts are cut and bent before they are printed. Finishes and examples are on Sun Studio's metal and aluminium page.
Bottle and tumbler printing with no seam
For round items, Sun Studio runs two LSINC 360-degree presses. Each bottle, tumbler or can turns under the printheads, so the artwork wraps the whole body with no seam, no join and no label edge.
LSINC, the maker, lists the PeriQ360 for four items at a time, 38 to 114 mm in diameter and up to 406 mm long. The single-spindle PeriOne takes items up to 152 mm in diameter and 457 mm long. The shape of the neck, shoulder and base also decides the printable area, so one sample comes first.
That covers glass bottles, perfume bottles, water bottles, stainless steel tumblers, flasks, aluminium cans, candle jars and gahwa cups. Photographs, gradients and fine Arabic calligraphy print in full colour, and names can change from one piece to the next for personalised corporate gifts. LED-UV curing adds very little heat, so vacuum-insulated flasks and coated bottles can be printed too. See Sun Studio's bottle and 360-degree printing page.
How long does UV printing last on bottles and tumblers?
In Sun Studio's own wash tests, prints on glass bottles, drinking glasses, steel tumblers and porcelain gahwa cups lasted more than 60 dishwasher cycles, in home and commercial machines. Surfaces that need it are pre-treated first on Modico equipment, using treatments that include plasma and Pyrosil, which give the ink a strong bond.
The Modico equipment is supplied by PRO TECHnology, which belongs to the same Dubai group as Sun Studio. Results still depend on the item and its coating, so a sample is printed and checked before a run is committed.
How much does UV printing cost in Dubai?
There is no fixed price list. Each quote depends on the size of the piece, the quantity, the ink layers and whether a sample is needed first.
There is no minimum order for UV printing done in the studio: one suitable item or panel, a sample, or a full production run. The price per piece falls as the quantity rises, because setup and handling are shared across the run.
To get a quote, send a photo of the item, its dimensions, the quantity and the artwork. For glass, add the thickness, the glass type and where the panel will be installed.
Frequently asked questions
What is UV printing used for in the UAE?
Businesses use it to put logos, patterns and photographs directly onto glass partitions, aluminium signs, bottles, tumblers, gifts and display pieces. It replaces stickers, vinyl and labels where there should be no edge to lift or peel.
Can you UV print on large glass panels in Dubai?
Yes. Sun Studio prints large panels on a belt flatbed 2.5 metres wide with no machine limit on length, and has printed office panels 3 metres tall. Send each panel's width, height and thickness so the fit is confirmed before the glass moves.
Is UV printing waterproof?
Cured UV ink is water-resistant, and how well it holds depends on the surface and how it was prepared. In Sun Studio's own tests, prints on glass bottles, drinking glasses, steel tumblers and gahwa cups lasted more than 60 dishwasher cycles.
Can you print on stainless steel tumblers and water bottles?
Yes. Stainless steel, glass, aluminium and many plastic tumblers and bottles print well once they are cleaned and, where needed, pre-treated. Powder-coated and soft-touch finishes vary, so one piece is tested first.
Can you print on aluminium sheet and ACP panels?
Yes. Aluminium sheets and plates print on a 4 x 8 ft flatbed, and ACP panels on a 2.5 metre belt flatbed, so a standard 1220 x 2440 mm sheet prints in one piece. The metal can show through the print or sit under a white base.
Do you print for clients outside Dubai?
Yes. Studio work is printed in Al Quoz, Dubai, for clients across all seven emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman. Glass and large panels come to the studio before they are installed, and walls are printed on site.
Is there a minimum order for UV printing?
Not for UV printing done in the studio. One suitable item or panel, a sample, or a full production run are all normal jobs, and the price per piece falls as the quantity rises. Wall printing is quoted by area.
About Sun Studio Dubai
Sun Studio Dubai is a direct UV printing studio at Warehouse 7, Al Quoz First, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. It prints onto glass, aluminium and other metals, acrylic, wood, stone, leather, bottles, tumblers and cans for businesses across the UAE. Its machines include an IQDEMY EVO 2500 belt flatbed, Direct Color Systems UV84 and UV44 flatbeds, LSINC PeriQ360 and PeriOne 360-degree presses and a wallPen vertical wall printer. Sun Studio belongs to the same Dubai group as PRO TECHnology.
Website: www.sunstudio.ae. Phone: +971 4 346 7422 · Email: info@sunstudio.ae. Open Monday to Saturday, 8:30 am to 6:30 pm.
Equipment specifications, project examples and test results in this article are as published by Sun Studio at the time of writing.
