Logo methods for stainless steel cups

Most custom cup orders use one of three methods for the logo: screen printing, laser engraving or 3D/5D printing. They differ in how many colours they can print, how long the logo lasts and how much they cost. A few other methods are used in special cases. They’re covered at the end.

Screen printing

Screen printing is used for small one-colour logos on a smooth part of the cup. The ink can be mixed to match the colour you ask for. A squeegee pushes the ink through a printing screen onto the cup. The cups then go through a high-temperature drying tunnel, where the ink is baked until it’s fully cured.

After curing, a screen-printed logo can pass the cross-hatch test. In this test, a small grid is cut into the print, tape is pressed onto it and pulled off, and then you check how much ink came off with the tape.

Laser engraving

A laser machine burns the coating off the cup’s surface in the shape of your design, so the logo shows the steel underneath. It suits small logos, and it can go almost anywhere on the cup, including the base. Of the three methods, laser gives the most durable logo.

3D/5D printing

3D/5D printing is used on a smooth part of the cup, for designs with several colours or designs that cover a large area. It’s done on a UV printer. The cup turns on the machine while the print head sprays ink straight onto it, and UV light dries the ink at the same time, so a full-colour design is printed in one pass. The print is slightly raised, so you can feel it. On cups with a welded handle, the handle limits how much of the cup can be printed.

5D printing adds a layer of clear varnish on top of a 3D print. It makes the design look better, feel smoother and last longer.

Other methods

Pad printing: similar to screen printing, but used on flat areas that screen printing can’t reach, such as the base or the lid, when you don’t want a laser logo there.

Etching: think of it as a stronger version of laser engraving. The design has more depth, but it costs a lot more.

Hydroformed pattern: the pattern or logo is formed into the cup’s outer wall when the wall is made. It’s expensive, and the minimum order is 5,000 pieces.

Water-slide decals and heat transfer: the cost depends on the design and how much of the cup it covers.

How they compare

Durability: laser is the most durable. Screen printing and 3D/5D printing are about the same.

Cost: laser and screen printing cost about the same. 3D/5D printing costs more.

Which one to choose

If your logo is one colour, use laser or screen printing. Laser lasts longer. Screen printing can be done in the colour you want, while a laser logo is always the colour of the steel.

If your design has several colours or covers a large part of the cup, use 3D/5D printing. It costs more than the other two.

If the logo goes on the base or the lid, where screen printing can’t reach, use pad printing. The base can also be laser engraved.

If your cup has a raised or uneven surface, screen printing and 3D/5D printing may not work on some parts of it. It depends on the cup, so send me a photo and I’ll check.

If you’re not sure which method suits your logo, send it to me along with the cup you have in mind, and I’ll tell you which one to use and what it will cost.

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