Different Types Of Phone Cases Printing Techniques

As people increasingly rely on mobile phones, in order to protect them from accidental drops and damage, phone cases have become a must–have electronic accessory. There is a wide variety of phone cases, but custom–printed phone cases are in high demand for their stylish designs and protective qualities.

Customizing phone cases with your brand, photos, or company logo printed on them is a great branding opportunity for small to large companies.

Offering unique custom phone cases can help increase conversions because people don‘t like having a standard phone case like everyone else; getting a custom print or design allows them to stand out from the crowd and show off their personality. People enjoy being treated as individuals or being made to feel special.

However, where do you begin when it comes to getting a custom phone case printed?

How does it work?

What type of phone case printing techniques are available?

Can you get phone cases printed in both large and small quantities?

What types of cases are available for making printing cases?

If you don‘t know how to start, here we can help you by creating a simple guide, where you can find everything you need to know.

Types of Phone Case Printing Techniques

You will learn about the different methods used for printing onto phone cases, the types of phone cases you can print on using each method, and whether the method is cost–effective for you. Finally, we will take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each printing method.

How do you choose your printing method? Well, it really depends on two factors:

• Your design
• The quantity and style of phone cases

Your design is the most important element when deciding which printing method to use. If your design involves many colors, variations, intricate details, or photograph images, the printing method will need to be able to accommodate these.

This is the same if you have a simple design; you certainly won‘t need to pay an exorbitant amount for a more complex printing method when you don‘t require it.

Secondly, the quantity and style of cases you want are essential. If you‘re looking to get phone cases printed in bulk, you‘ll need to choose a method that is optimized for larger quantities.

Some styles, like IMD cases, can only be created in larger quantities. Similarly, if you only want a few phone cases printed, you should ensure that you use a case style and printing method that does not have a high minimum order quantity.

1. Screen Printing on Phone Cases

Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open mesh apertures with ink, and a reverse stroke then causes the screen to touch the substrate momentarily along a line of contact. This causes the ink to wet the substrate and be pulled out of the mesh apertures as the screen springs back after the blade has passed. One color is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to produce a multi-colored image or design. Therefore, if your design with simple color, and you hope the print color is very close to your design, our in-house screen printing is a good option for you.

What Cases Can be Used with this Printing Method? Screen printing gives you the opportunity to print on most styles of phone cases. The most popular are the soft shell cases. You’re also able to print on hard plastic, wood, and metal phone cases.

Costs

Screen printing is better used for high-volume orders as the minimum order quantity tends to be higher than other printing methods. This is due to the extra labor time and the number of materials needed. The manufacturer will have to make custom screens for every color you wish to use, as well as wait for each color to dry before moving on (this also increases production time).

You could potentially reduce your costs by using fewer colors and ordering a higher number of custom phone cases.

Advantages

• Ideal for larger volumes
• Bright, vibrant colors (due to thicker ink)
• Many possibilities for design placement
• Potential for high-volume discounts
• High-quality printing
• Ideal for printing logos and non-gradient designs with 4 or fewer block colors
• High-quality prints in large quantities are significantly cheaper than other methods

Disadvantages

• Limited colors
• Cost per unit usually increases by the number of colors used
• Limited amount of detail
• Cannot print photographs
• Not ideal if you need small quantities
• Rarely available for print on demand
• Slow production time
• Less durable: your design and logo can scratch off over time (can depend on the type of material you are printing onto)

2. Digital UV Printing on Phone Cases

UV printing is a unique method of digital printing utilizing ultraviolet (UV) light to dry or cure the ink, adhesives, or coatings almost as soon as it’s hit the paper, or aluminum, foam board, or acrylic – in fact, as long as it fits in the printer, the technique can be used to print on almost anything. The printing process is also more cost-effective – more products can be printed in less time, at a better quality, and with fewer rejections.

Digital UV printing offers good durability. Your phone case designs will be resistant to wear and tear scratches, and sun exposure. However, it is possible for your design to scratch off as the ink’s not permanently infused with the cases, unlike other printing methods.

The great advantage is that you can obtain high-quality and complex print designs, on almost any material.

Your manufacturer won’t have to double pass or re-run your phone cases through the press, which helps to reduce labor costs. UV printing allows for high-gloss levels and vibrant colors because the UV inks sit on top of your phone cases (rather than being absorbed). The end result is a sharper and crisper image.

Advantages

• Fast curing speeds lead to faster production
• High-quality prints with complex patterns
• Can print on almost any material
• Many creative possibilities
• Eco-friendly
• Low minimum orders
• Cheaper than most other conventional printing

Disadvantages

• Although the print quality is high, generally, it’s not in the same league as sublimation or IMD/IML printing
• Difficult to print right to up the edges of your phone cases
• Can fade over time compared with other inks
• Can only print onto premade cases
• Possible for your design to scratch off
• Embossing and Debossing Phone Cases

Embossing and debossing are the processes where your manufacturer will create raised or recessed images onto your phone cases. An embossed image will be raised against the

3. 2D Printing on Phone Cases

For 2D printing, the next step is a more traditional printing method. Your chosen logo or design is positioned against a metal (usually aluminum) sheet and subjected to high temperatures and pressure (where the sublimation process happens). Once the image has transferred onto the metal sheet, it’s carefully stuck to a premade case. The result is that your phone cases have a custom print on the back.

4. 3D Printing on Phone Cases

3D printing uses a special 3D vacuum heat press that allows printing on the sides and back of your phone cases. Once your design has been printed onto the special transfer paper, it is placed on your phone cases in the vacuum heat press; where the sublimation process takes place. The ink will transfer to your phone cases by turning into a gas and then back into a solid once is it on the surface of your phone cases.

5. Sublimation Printing on Phone Cases

Sublimation printing is a popular method of printing that aims at transferring a design from sublimation paper onto a piece of fabric or material by using pressure and heat. Using the sublimation printing method will leave you with extremely durable designs. The ink impregnates your phone cases so that the prints can’t become damaged, worn, flake, or crack.

This process involves a continuous tone output during printing, resulting in smoother brighter colors with more variation. You’re able to print high-quality photographic images and patterns.

What Cases Can be used with this Printing Method

3D sublimation printing will only work if your phone cases have been specifically made for the purpose, otherwise, they’d shrink… not ideal. This means you’re only able to use the sublimation method with hard gel, and TPU phone cases.

2d and 3d sublimation printing processes stand different from each other. In the 2d sublimation printing process, the print happens only on the top surface whereas 3d printing process, the print happens on both sides also apart from the printing on the top surface.

Advantages

• Print with vivid colors
• Print photographic images and complex designs
• Your prints impregnate your phone cases making them incredibly durable
• Smoother and brighter color transitions
• Print on both hard and gel/TPU cases
• Good for small quantities

Disadvantages

• More steps in the process add additional labor
• Less efficient in terms of ink usage
• An expensive process means this method isn’t good for large orders. If you’re looking to get over 250 phone cases printing, IMD/IML becomes a better cost-effective choice.
• Water Transfer/Hydrographic Printing on Phone Cases
• Known as water printing or hydrographic printing (as well as hydro dipping, hydro imaging, and fluid imaging), this is a 3D decorating process. Your manufacturer is able to print complex patterns such as carbon fiber, and wood grain, and camouflage them onto your phone cases.

6. Water Transfer Printing on Phone Cases

Water transfer printing is a method of applying printed graphics to three-dimensional objects.   Before the water printing begins, your phone cases will be pre-treated with an appropriate primer and base coating. The factory will carefully place a polyvinyl alcohol hydrographic film (which has your desired pattern on), over the water’s surface in the dipping tank. This film is water-soluble and will dissolve after an activator solution is applied.

Your phone cases are then dipped into the tank where the surface tension will allow the pattern to curve around any shape. The pattern is able to transfer onto your phone cases through chemical components. The activator softens the pre-treated layer, allowing the ink to form a bond with it.

Your phone cases are then removed, washed, and hung to dry.

Finally, your phone cases will be treated with a clear topcoat. This will improve the durability of the cover, making it resistant to UV and protecting it against scratches and daily wear and tear.

What Cases Can be used with this Printing Method

The hydrographic printing process can be used for a wide variety of phone cases, including, plastic, wood, fiberglass, and metal. If your phone cases can be dipped in water, they can be printed using this process.

Advantages

• Extremely good for printing complex patterns
• Can cover curved and rounded surfaces
• Resistant to damage from exposure to UV lighting
• Weather-resistant
• Suitable for plastic, metal, and wooden phone cases
• Matte or glossy finish
• Can be very cost-effective

Disadvantages

• Gloss finishes have been known to easily chip and scratch
• Cannot use this on gel/TPU cases because they’ll bend
• You won’t get the same level of durability as IMD or sublimation cases

7. IMD/IML Printing on Phone Cases

In-mold design (IMD) or in-mold labeling (IML) is a process where your phone cases are decorated or labeled during the injection molding cycle. When your phone cases are being created (through injection molding), your custom design or logo is inserted into the open plastic injection and held in place via vacuum ports, electrostatic charge, or other methods chosen by your manufacturer. When the process is finished your custom phone case is created with the design permanently attached.

This process offers design flexibility, as well as productivity advantages over traditional post-molding decorating techniques. Your design or logo is permanent, which means it’s impossible to remove and will remain vibrant or live – giving your final product greater durability. Eliminating the post-mold decorating process can make this a more cost-effective choice.

Choosing IMD or IML means you’ll obtain more flexibility with your design as this process is available in a wide range of colors, effects, textures, and graphics. It’s even able to replicate the most challenging looks like stainless steel, wood grains, and carbon fiber.

What Cases Can be used with this Printing Method

Printing onto your cases whilst they’re being molded means you’re able to print on a range of different styles of phone cases; even if they have complex designs like ‘wallet style’ cases.

The materials mostly used for this process are hard plastic or flexible TPU cases.

Advantages

• Wide range of colors, effects, textures, and graphic options
• Long-lasting durable graphics that remain vibrant for life
• Eliminates post-molding decoration, this can speed up production
• Consistent quality
• Minimal material waste
• Cost-effective for larger quantities (generally over 250 phone cases)

Disadvantages

• Can’t print small quantities (typically under 250 phone cases per design/style)
• Production time can be longer (depending on orders in the queue)
• Chapter 2: Researching Phone Case Printers

Please feel free to contact us if you need more information, we are here to help you.