Guangzhou Caihui Printing Factory reminds printing personnel to submit a sample of the printing material they want to use when ordering ink from suppliers. Ink manufacturers can prepare products that can achieve optimal results based on the surface characteristics of the printed samples.
Ink manufacturers can accurately determine the composition of the submitted sample surface and determine that the complex composition of the ink they provide can adhere well to the surface to be printed, especially on coated surfaces. Because ink analysis technology is currently very advanced, the results of the analysis are also more accurate. This phenomenon is due to the increasing interest of researchers in the ink paper industry in the interaction between ink and paper.
At the 1996 Taga Annual Conference, two papers were presented, one on how paper coatings affect the interaction between paper and ink during offset printing; Another article discusses the same issue regarding water-based ink for publishing gravure printing. The first paper argues that smoothness, porosity, and absorption are important factors affecting the printing performance, especially the ink splitting mechanism, in the surface properties of coated paper. It found that these properties affect the flowability of ink and the viscosity that changes over time (stackabuild up).
The importance of understanding this phenomenon
Because the final product's effect will be influenced by the structure of the coating layer and its chemical properties. The printing staff of Guangzhou Caihui Printing Factory need to understand and explain this phenomenon to customers. Although high coated paper may provide improved printing performance and the ability to accept and reproduce images, there is a loss in optical characteristics, especially in terms of glossiness. The matching problem between ink and paper in printing
Among these variables, the chemical properties of the paper coating are related to its adhesive, dispersed particles, and filler grades such as clay. For these variables, the adhesive level is the most critical as it has the greatest impact on ink stickiness. The increase in the composition of Shanghai printing adhesive reduces the surface porosity, which will limit the capillary action of ink in the paper.
If ink manufacturers can test the paper they use, they can develop corresponding ink formulas to optimize the printing and optical properties of the paper.
The issue of using water-based ink
The second paper discusses how the printing performance is affected when publishing gravure printing personnel use water-based ink instead of traditional solvent based ink. There are many benefits to doing so, including low levels of hazardous air pollution (HAP) and volatile organic components (VOCs). This ink also reduces printing machine management and insurance costs, and reduces the risk of fire and explosion.
However, the development of water-based inks has progressed very slowly, partly due to their different chemical properties from solvent based inks. If the water in the ink expands in the material fibers, the printing quality will also be affected, resulting in a decrease in ink glossiness and distortion of gradient dots. The drying problem of water-based ink is more critical than solvent ink, because if the ink dries poorly, it can cause ink transfer to the closed roller and cause image deformation.
The surface properties of paper, such as smoothness, moisture absorption, fastness, and surface tension, have a significant impact on the smoothness of printed materials. Even if the surface of the paper is very small