I

_ Lih ogr ap.h i~ ink

p rob lem s
I\ l I'

423
SHEET•l'l:D INKS FOR !'APER AND BOARD

Ink-related problems and their possible solutions

There are five main areas where difticuhies can arise with lithographic
p_rnting inks:
"' lithographic
• rheology
• tack
• setting and drying
• appearance.

Lithographic problems .
Lithography runs Into problems when lnk transfers to the fount s~lut1on
or to non-image areas of the plate; when It fails to re1aln a continuous
film on the Inking rollers. or when it builds up on rollers. plate or blanket.
The names given to these various difficulties arc, respcc1ivcly. tincing.
scumming, stripping and piling. All can occur in inks whose chemical and
physical propenies meet the demands of 1he lithographic process idcnli-
fied in section- 6.1. However. the exact decail of these charac1eris1 ics may
lead to lithographic problems under particular drcumscanccs. as will be
~n from the following descriptions.
J nntlng .
Tinting occurs when pigments, with or without other ink ingredients,
become solubUized or emulsified into the fount solution. The fount takes
on a weak colouration from the ink which transfers as a wash oI colour
on to the non-image areas of the print. This problem ls usually caused by
pigments which have been incompletely washed free of soluble compon-
ents during their manufacture, or which contain materials that are react-
ive with certain vehide components to Ionn water emulsifiable soaps. It
can therefore be avoided by using an alternative pigment grade. Tinting
used by ink-in-water emulsification resulting from calcium soap for-
ation may be overcome by adding a complexing lithographic additive
described on page 376. •
}
Scumming
scumming occurs when non-image areas of the plate accept and transfer
ink such that the print docs not remain completely clear In these areas
Minute necks or scummed ink are present on virtually all lithograph!~
print. In fact. their presence represents the only simple way to distinguish
lithographic print from high quality letterpress work. Obviously, scum-
ming becomes a problem when ink transfer in the non-image areas
becomes apparent to the r:iak~d eye or when it affects tonal rendilion by
increasing apparent density m halftone areas. II may be caused by a
variety or factors associated with plates and their processing. wirh fount
solutions. or ink characteristics. both chemical and physical.
When ink chemistry imposes a narrow range or water tolerance the
chances of scumming are Increased. Thus. if ink Is loo water repcllenc
dampening levels will have to be kcpt_vcry low t? avoid the fount fron~
inhibiting receptivity and transfer or mk to sections ~f the image area
I

424 IJTHOGRAPHIC INKS

may be lnsuJfi.
(so-called 'watermarking'). At these low settings there
t fully all non-i mage areas from accepting
dent fount present to protec for fount and
ink. Such problems are aggravated by irregular dema WhJle there Is nds
lnk due -to Image layout across the width of the press.
s, any such
control or ink feed to different lateral zones on alt presse tor a standard .
control of dampening reed Js very rare. Thus, It ts usual
of image /n. on-lmage
fount application to apply across the plate regardless moda ted by Ink-
relationships. Variations in the latter have to be accom
ms such as water mark ing and scum ming
water balance tolerance tr proble
are to be avoided. have a major
The physical characteristics, or the emulsified Ink can has too low a
Impact on scumming. Proble ms may arise becau se the Ink
rature. Ink
viscosity possibly caused by over-reductlon or elevated tempe non-i mage areas
may then transfer over 1he top of the fount mm on the
on may also lead to a greate r attractlon
(page 346). Excessive emulsificati effect .
between emuls ified ink and fount, leadin g to the same
mixture or
Most ink-related scumming problems arc due to a complexoften linked
the particular physical ~nd chem ical prope rties or the ink,
ce a solulion by
through cmulsillcation. Sometimes it is possible to produ ent cohesion
a simple increase in viscosity and tack. This increa sed Inher
are occasions
and reduces the degree of emulsification. Equally, thererepellency and
when a chang e tn formu lation Is requir ed to reduc e water
ive emulsion .
Increase water tolerance of 1he tnk, or to give a more cohes
. Skip ping all areas of the
\ Stripping occurs when the ink ceases to 1ransfer along to the Image areas or
roller train surface. This can adver sely affect Ink feed
of uneve n density. The
the pla1e and can resull In a print that Is weak or the rollers, but
problem can be caused by poor settin g or condi tion of
rather than mach ine, ii is most often cause d by a
when related to ink s which can pro-
reaction between Ink ingredients and fount comp onent
rollers. This reacti on and Its contro l were
duce hydrophilic deposits on the
discussed in the paragraph on lithographic additives on page
409.

✓,-; ling ink film thickness on

Piling is the name given to the build-up of excessivelack of distribution or
rollers, plate or blanket. The imme diate cause is a
relevant areas. The proble m Is visual ly apparent on
transference In the uous and even
the press and manifests itself on the print as a lack of contin
Is norma lly first obser ved along the
coverage of all Image areas. This the direction that
trailing edge of solids when the sheet is exam ined in
releva nt areas cleaned, 1he
it was printed. If the press Is not stopped and y ls seriously
problem usually increases to the point where print qualit
cal dama ge is cause d to 1he plate and blank et by the
impaired and physi
increased pressures in the areas of piling. these may
There are a number of potenllal causes of piling andpiling on the
some1imes be interconnec ted In a comp lex mann er. First,
on having an
rollers, plate or blanket may oc~r due to emulsificati hence hindering
adverse influence on rheology and tack prope rties and
e. Al1ern a1ivci y. plate and blank et piling in
dislriburion and transferenc
SHEET-PED JNKS FOR l'APf.R AND BOARD
425

particular may be caused by loss of distillate, with the resulting poor press
stablllty causing the ink to dry up and lose tra~sference. Both these
causes essentially involve the ink as a whole plhng. There are also ·a
number of instances where the build-up f nvolves a type of IiJtratlon
process whereby most or the fluid components of rhe ink transfer, but
hard, particulate material remains behind on the plate or blanket, bound
by a small proportion or retained vehicle. Common examples of this latter
phenomenon are piling of poorly wetted micronized waxes and piling of
coarse or poorly dispersed pigment particles. Emulsification can make
things worse by promoting de-wetting or particles that are not completely
coated in vehicle. Finally, piling may involve significant proportions of
components which originate from the substrate, and which have been
removed by the tnnuence of fount and ink.
With this diverse set of causes there is clearly no single solution which
will overcome all instances of piling. Changes in the basic chemical and
physical characteristics or the ink may be necessary if emulsification
inhibits distribution and transference. However, piling associated with
poor press stability may be overcome by addition of bridging solvent or by
the use or a distiilate grade of higher boiling range or stronger solvent
power. Filtration type piling clearly requires improved ink manufacture,
or a change in the grades or the relevant particulate materials used to
ensure that satisfactory wetting of the pa.rt.ides with vehicle is retctined,
even when thin mms are sheared and emulsified with fount. If materials
originating from the substrate are a major component of piling, then ink
is not the sole cause of the problem. However, it may still be possible to
avoid the problem by ink modification, for example by reducing tack in
order to reduce the forre pulling IJbres or coatJng from the stock at the
point of impression.

Rheology problems
One of _the major complications in lithographic ink technology is the
lnt~ract1on or rheology and emulsification, with each property being a
ma1or, but not sole. innue!lce on the other. Thus, as has been discussed,
rheology may be Involved m complex ways in lithographic problems such
as scummi~g and piling. With this background it is easy to understand
why a considerable array or techniques has been developed to enable ink
rheology to ~ ma_nipulated. These range from straightforward viscosir
reduction wnh disullate, . through techniques
for prod uang· va ri ousy
degrecs o r structure .m veh1des ·
and inks to flow promou· on b y mcorpor-
r1 · •
a ti. on o ow· v1srost1y
•
a!Icyds •or other wetting resins · w·ith th ese too Is t h e
ronn u lator 1s abl e to ta1-1or 11lhographic Ink rheology to overcome prob .
.
lems. w h eth er th ese be directly ·
caused by the h · 1
ink or associated with emulsification. P ysica properues of the

Tack problems
Tack is controlled by the use o( gelled vehicles and b · .
dlstilla1e or gelled distillate into the ink. Additives ~ mco~ra11on_ of
enable minor upward adjustment o( the tack ~;e; t
~V~•l;b~e wr1ch
at~ l of
ink that would otherwise have lo be re1'ec1 cd an d ims c
replaced with a
426 LlmOGRAPHlC INKS

new make of a modified formulation . This can be helpful where

trapping problems are encountered. Consequently, inks can be
manipulated through a reasonable tack range by additives or, if this
is Insufficient to overcome particular tack problems, they can be refq_r-
mulated using different balances of gelled and ungelled vehicles and
reducers.

Setting and drying problems

Lithographic inks generally represent a major compromise between the
conflicting requirements of press stability and drying. The former
demands that thin Ink films must retain fluidity throughout the distribu-
tion and transference processes on the press, whereas the latter necessi-
tates rapid fonnation of a hard, solid mm at only slightly lower film
thicknesses. Press stability considerations normally result in penetration,
quick-setting and oxidation drying inks being retarded In some way to
maintain printability. nrns, setting and drying characteristics may be
jeopardized, particularly under adverse press or print conditions. In this
context, high press speeds, high ink film thickness and substrates which
are heavy or which restrict penetration or oxida.tion can all produce
problems. Among the specific diHicullics encountered are set-ofl, carry-
over piling, slow drying and poor rub/slip/scratch.

S -of£
ct-off occurs in sheet-fed printing when ink transfers from the print to
the reverse of the adjacent sheet in the stack. rt can be influenced by a
whole range of substrate and machine factors, such as:
• absorbency of the stock - lack of absorbency inhibits setting;
• smoothness of the stock - smoothness promotes contact and hence
set-off;
• weight of the stock - heavier stock produces more pressure and hence
more set-off in the stack;
• speed of the machine - faster runnl.ng gives a more rapid rise in stack
pressure;
• adjustment of the delivery - any lateral sheet movement increases
marking;
• spray-powder setting - insufficient spray-powder allows sheet contact;
• maximum stack height - greater pressures exist in higher stacks.
However, ink performance may also be a prime cause of set-off. Problems
can arise if the ink is too slow setting, or if it passes through a very sticky
phase as it sets. Either characteristic can make the printed ink mm prone
to set-off as the stack is being built in the press delivery. Even an Ink
which sets rapidly and without passing through an excessively tacky stage
can cause set-off in the stack if it is susceptible to 'sweat-back'. As
oxidation drying gets under way in a stack of work heat is generated by
the chemical reactions involved. Thus, temperatures arc raised and the
affinity of the set ink film for distillate fractions which have penetrated
into the substrate may be increased. H this occurs, such solvent compon-
ents may migrate back Into the warm ink film. softening it and rendering
it prone to set-orr or 'sweat-back'.
 427
SHEET·Pl:D INKS FOR PAl'f.R ApqO BOARD

All ink-related set-off problems are associated with the compatibility

balance of the quick-set vehicle. Slow setting spe~s are a result of too
grear an affinity between the resin and the dJstillatc m the same way that
'sweat-back' is associated with too much residual compatJblllty betwee n
the binder resin and the separat ed distJllate. Where the ink has set
satlsractorily Initially, 'sweat-back' is most often due to the presence of
a small proportion of stronger solvent components in the distiliate. This
problem may be avoided by the use of cleaner, tighter-cut distiDates in
the ink and ink vehicle. Slow setting problems may be reduced by the use
of weaker solvenls or an Increase In resin-to-oil ratio to decrease com-a
patibility. If the ink passes through a sticky stage this may necessitate
change in resin to a grade which rapidly builds viscosity, but without
increase In tack, as distillate is lost In the setting mechanism (Fig. 6.23).
Anti-set-off additives (page 412) help to separate sheets in the stack
an~ c~n therefo~e r~duce the tendency of inks 10 set-off. They will also
ass1s1 m lully ox1da11on drying systems where no actual phase separation
s_eu_ing_ can occur. How~ver, these !alter inks generally require severe
hm1_ta11ons ~n stack heights and appropriate use of spray powder to
avoid excessive set-off.

Tack

Ccl

TI~
R
g. 6.23 Set-off and the . fl
after printing: (a) slow•~ e~1~cc of tack characteristics of an ink
;
(b) slow setting, high tack rlseg,- low tack rise - some set-off
se~-off
low tack rise - ideal situ stfvereminim ; (c) fast setting ,
a on, al set-off .
I
LITHOGRAPHIC INKS
428
arry-over pUing
ng that have been described have
So Car all problems associated with setti or sett ing speed. Carry-over piling
been to some extent involved with a lack presses If the ink sets too rapidly
nlt
Is a problem that can occur on multl-u Even an ink that has a suHicientJy
on the particul ar subs trate bein g prin ted.
set-off will, nevenheless, go through
suppressed tackrlse on setting to avoid
ration commences. It is therefore
some Increase in tack as distillate sepa ting unit of a multicolour press to
prin
possible (or an ink printed on the Urst es through subsequent units for it
clen tly high tack level as it pass
be at a sum ket. Thus, print quality ls Impaired
to transfer back from the print to the blan colour blanket. The problem may be
and a build-up of Ink occurs on a later inks to be printed on early stations
of
overcome by slowing the setting speed eved by decreasing the resin-to-oil
or a mul tico lour press. This may be achi
technique to increase compatibility,
ratio or the vehicle or by some other
suc ~d dit lon of bridging solvent.

~ wd ryi ng
As with set-oll, slow drying may be
due to a rang~ of factors.
ng, like other chemical reactions, Is
• Low temperatures - oxidation dryi
retarded by reduced temperatures. ich is almost always present in
• Acid stocks - at high humidity (wh severely retard oxidation dry-
lithographic printed stacks) acidity can
ing.
arly problematic in large stacks,
• Lack or oxygen - this can be particul protection.
especially If these are wrapped for dust
drying are inadequate oxidation
The main ink-related causes of slow lable drier catalysts. The former
potential In the vehtcle, or lack of avai e oil or alkyd into the vehicle or by
may be rectified by incorporating mor as linseed or tung oil in place of
the use of fully drying materials such ive driers may be due to Inappro-
semi-drying oils such as soya. Ineffectformulation, or to an effect known
the
priate quantities being included In pigments with a high surface area,
as drier absorption. This involves the drier being available for reaction
notably carbon black, and prevents into the pigment surface. Drier
with the vehicle since It Is absorbed l
· absorption is linked to the age ofdryian ink as a given Ink's drying potentiaified
ng problems can clea rly be rect
can deteriorate with time . Such ink. When anti-oxidant has been
by addition of furt her catalyst to the
a simple approach may be more
added to extend skinning times, such g or drier and anti-oxidant types
difficult to Implement. Careful balancin uate drying without jeopardizing
and proportions Is essential to give adeq
.
stay-open requirements. can also assist in instances where poor
Ink-formulating app roac hes
. Poo r drying due to lack of oxygen
drying Is not solely an ink problem of calcium perborate-based driers
availability can be boosted by the ed use
rate oxy gen whe n mix with water, as occurs when fount
which libe ing on highly absorbent substrates,
becomes emulsified into the ink. Dry aired by vehicle penetration into
such as cast-coated papers, may be impleaves insufllcient binder on the
the substrate or Its coating. This then
 GM,\ VLIIU:1 INK$

o crroc,1vcly u,lllied on
ct thoYcon b
U6 . 1lnil paper on 1 affected by ,1ron11
d cHc:cl on wrap1,wcois, onts are adverse Yr flow, Aliphatic
:r:~~r& for chll~~~~1~0re~c~~1 P~~ng tnks fi'~a ~~~ choice of re,ln1
notn11 rc.s,1111 ~:li,well thO re~:cnts llllt iheY lkmyds and certain speclaJly
101vcn11 w' c O 1uUablC
10
1 I toluene a
hydrocarbons "~uicd rubber, vii Y t :1l1&ments Is not
ronsldrraldl~ic~:1ks can be 1~ 1~f,~rliton with flu~~eJ~i~t, \usrd seulement
fo~~~,~~~ng a 11 a\lsh,~~~~nt Is ndcqua1el~~f~ dye toners offer 'r mc~n•
~::tn~~/~!e:~ ~\~~~~a1!v~,~~t~~~,~~~!,1~~~1al ~~: ;::~~r ~~r:: ~lc!f.'o~~
of romn1la11ng w~.f 0
~:, pol.yamldc j~d e~:~~1
auch as nllroce d Ml3K snlvcn1s. T 1 5
'!s rums, Jolls and papers to
ulsllc properties.
olilcrs, toluene an stcnu that have th c rcq >C used as single colours
5
he printed with rcsl•~io~csccnl plg01c n1s should\ small amounts of con•
Whcro
10 ensure
'~h~\': !~1~11um
·
brlghmcss. Adljdllt:i:a~c bul this Is Inevitably
be used IO ac us ' '
vc111lo11nl plgmonls can di . loss or fluorescence.
arcmnpanlcd wl1h a com~s pon ng stn~•ss and l'al resistance of these types
II should be no1ed thal 1hc llgh1h1 · 11 ts possible to improve the Jlghl
ol plgmcn1 Is gcncn1 lly 11oor ,t Ink wllh an Ink base d on conven tlonal
. · However,
fastness by backing the Ouoresce, minimizing any colour change. Also a
pigment or similar shade, tbhcreb{11 ed by overprlnalng with a suitable
degree or protection can c ac ev
lacquer.

8.S PRINTING INIC FAULTS

The Identification and rcsolullon or many gravure printing faults,
In common with other printing processes, can be dlfflcult, time con•
sumlng and e~penslvc. Most faults manifest themselves as some form
of lrregul~rlty in the print appearance or as a blemish on the unprinted
area of the substrate. Many faults may be due to incorrect adjµstment
or the machine or the Ink and will be overcome when the correct
conditions are restored. 01her faults arc more persistent and require
funhcr lnvest.lgatlon,

J :•eaklng
~~r~u~atr!~\~~gA!s t~~l:ie lf t~al on occasions it suffers from this
falls 10 wipe the cylinder ,[:1
mp les it occurs when the doctor blade
under the blade. u ihe ma:~ly al1owlng a narrow streak of Ink to pass
deposhed on the unprinted are!nr O
lhprinting at the lime, the streak Is
can or1en be de1cnnlned by Its t Ie substrate, The reason for the streak
near 1he ends of tlte cyllnde . O~os tlon and Its nature. A heavy streak
in the corners o.f the unit ei is ten caused by ink skin whlc::h can fom1
way under the doctor blade entually becoming dislodged and nnding its
If tlle resulting degree or· rim . .
should be stopped. the skin ~rn~ spoilage 1s unacceptable, the machine
ved from the duct and the ink carefu lly
 PRINTING lNK PAULTS S37
filtered . Any draughts impinging onto the ink shourd be excluded. Should
the skinning and subsequent streaking persist, refonnulation of the f nk
may be required to eliminate the problem.
During the printing of paper and board, fibres and particles o( coating
lind their way Into the ink. Where hydrocarbon-based inks are concerned
the fibres and coating remain finely dispersed in the ink system and rarely
give rise to stre~ing problems.
With akohol•based inks there is a tendency for the fibres to fonn rubs
which can lodge under the doctor blade resulting in streaking. Fine
filtering oI the ink can reduce the problem but if streaking persists then
either a change of substrate or ink may be the only solution. Streaking
may be aggravated by an Ink that has a tendency to scum and therefore to
remove loosely bound fibres or coating from the substrate.
The most difficult type of streaking to eliminate appears as a very fine
streak, often only a few Inches in length, originating from the print area.
The streak is too short to be caused by a solid particle lodged behind the
doctor blade. Normally, filtering or the ink has little lasting effect on the
phenomena. The most likely causes are from pigment dispersion, espe-
cially hard pigments, e.g. bronze blue, agglomerates of wax partides,
small particles of geJled ink or even static. On occasions the addition of
a reducing medium with a high pigment extender concent can eliminate
the problem.
Non-polar hydrocarbon solvent based inks are occasionally affected by
static originating from the friction of the substrate as it passes through the
machine. Its effect is to produce spiky protrusions around the edge of the
printed area. Anti-static additives, highly polar in nature, normally over-
✓uie the problem.

Scumming
Scumming is characterized as a thin, hazy deposit of ink on the non-
printing surface of the cylinder, which subsequently transfers to the sub-
strate. The problem can originate from a number of causes, all of which
have In common the failure of the doctor blade to wipe cleanly. Although
appearing perfectly smooth to the naked eye, it is possible for the surface of
a polished chrome cylinder to be sufficiently porous as to retain a thin film
of ink which cannot be removed by the doctor blade. Often the addition of
a fast drying solvent may allow this faint tint to dry between the doctor
blade and the impression cylinder. After a few hours the grainy chrome
should be sufficiently polished to resume normal solvent use.
Often inks containing highly dispersed pigments are prone to scum.
The addition of a small amount of aromatic hydrocarbon or the addition
of extender medium often enable the doctor blade to wipe the cylinder
more cleanly due to increased lubricity of the ink system. Such additions
are not always practical due to design requirements, e.g. hydrocarbon-
free or high colour strength.
Scumming can also be exaggerat ed by a print_desi~n which be~rs large
oblong window areas aligned in the web_ dt:ecuon. Scummmg can
be reduced by reducing press speeds or adJustmg the hardness of the
Impression roller. However, an ink change is often necessary.

- __J
 PRltmNG INK PAIJLTS S39

~ l e (crawling) ·
✓Mottle ls exhibited as a poor non-uniform Jay of Ink on a substrate,
showing as a speckled, grain1y pattern in the print. The ink may be too
low 1n viscosity or unable to wet the substrate properly. Increase in ink
viscosity can improve the appearance.
The fault is often excessive in Inks containing pigments of widely
different hues (e.g. browns). Sometimes additions of extender medium
can improve the lay while the ink is on the press, however, the amount
that can be added is limited by Its elfect on colour strength and gloss.
Sometimes an alternative pigment combination wUJ be required to over-
come the fault.

~ nholing
This fault Is characterized by the appearance of voids or holes in the ink
film. Pinholing is the result of the inability of the ink to wet or 10 spread
on the substrate surface. Adding a hydrocarbon solvent or a specifically
formulated anti-pinhole compound usually overcomes the problem.
Due lo the degree of agitation in a rotogravure ink duct, pinholing can
occasionally be attributed 10 bubbles or foam trapped on the cylinder.
Suitable foam suppressants should be used in such Instances.

Skipping
This fault ·appears as elongated unprinted areas of work and is caused by
either insufficient ink being supplied to the duct, air bubbles trapped
under the doctor blade or water contamination In the ink with which it
is hrimlsdble.

~pattern
In process printing a phenomenon .c an occur where a regular pattern
appears across an area of tonal printing distorting the visual appearance
of the reproduction. This is known as the moire pattern and is due to 1he
screen size and angle being identical on ·each of the engravings used to
pr()duce the print. Normally at least one of the cylinders has to be remade
with ·a different screen configuration to overcome the problem.

✓ Rewettin.g
When alcohol/ester-based inks whh the same resin system, particularly
nitroceJlutose, are overprinted on each other on non-porous substrates
there -is a tendency for rcwettlng and hence screening to occur. Occa-
slonalfy this can be overcome by thinning the base colour to a lower
viscosity thereby reducing its solids. The screening results from the ink in
the cells of the second colour rewetting and combining with the dried ink
of the first colour. Thus at the critical moment of contact the ink in the
cclJs increases In viscosity sufficiently to prevent now out.
 540 GRAVURE INKS
The prob lem is associated with the case
of rcwcttability and the rate or
viscosity Increase of the resi n system.
Olte n the prob lem _can onl~ be
solved by usin g inks on difCerent solvcnt/
resJn systems to avoi d rcw eum g.
AcryUc or poly ami de resin-based tnks
can be used as alte mat lve syst ems
for the over prin ting or nitrocellulose inks
.
The prob lem s discussed so rar hav e deal
t with faults whi ch are evid ent
at the time of printing. Unfortunately
ther e are othe rs whi ch only man l-
- (e1 'em selv es at som e stage afte r prin
ting. .

\B1 ock ing and set -of f

Wh en prin ting on non-absorbent, flexi
ble substrates the form ulat or Is
(aced with the prob lem ol prod ucin g an
Ink
flexibility, yet Is suUidently hard drying whi ch has good adhe sion and
10 prev ent blocking in the reel
Lightweight unsu ppo rted loll is a difficult .
overprinting whi ch leads to the build up substrate, especially If ther e is
areas in the rew ind reel. Achieving adhe of excessive pressure in specific
correct balance or plasticizer and resin sion on loil normally requires the
. Too Huie plasticizer and the ink
will flake, too muc h and ther e is a dang
care has to be take n to avoid set-off wheer ol set-off or blocking. Pan lcul ar •
n
directly to wrap, confectionery or food the printed material is destined
wool soaked with acetone to check U set-o stulfs. Some converters use cotton
side ol the substrate. U has occurred on the reverse
Likewise ther e is a possibility or set-oH
whi ch hav e solvent sensitive coat or blocking with flexible films
ings, as these can retain solvent
absorbed from the ink.
Immediately after printing, coated rilms
ciently hlgh tem pera ture to ensu re adeq are usually heat ed to a suHl-
avoid blocking It is Important that the uate keying o{ the Ink, and to
prin t prior to re-reeling. Both blocking chill roller eHectively cools the
they normally rend er the printed mateand set-oll are serious faults, as
inkm aker and prin ter facing a diHicult rial unusable, leaving both the
situation.

8.6 RE GE NT DE VE LO PM EN TS
Trends In the ink indu my are often
by legislation or prevailing economic andinitiated by restrictions imposed
the USA governmental legislation to ecological factors. For example,
the need (or a water-based ink devereduce solvent emission created
lopment programme whk h has
stimulated Interest not only in the USA
worldwide. In the seventies the elrect but In virtually every country
seen In the UK causing the withdrawof local ecological pressure was
printing Inks, while in man y othe r counal ol lead and cadmium from
common use. tries such pigments are still in
New developments arc also created as
either rrom the ink formulator himseH or a result of novel approaches.
the final prin t. These ideas rnn lead to by the conv erte r or end user ol
often new applications of exis1ing conctotally new technology or more
epts. In the following sections
INK•REl.ATBO PRINTING PROBLEMS S93
AND POSStBI.E SOLUTIONS
opera ting conditions Most bl
experienced
printers makin g adju~tment pro ems will be overcome by mes it may not
w'th
be possib le to do 50 1 hs as necess ary, althou g.h someti
The Iollow in . . t e equipm ent or maten als availab le.
but it sh Id g proble ms are discussed which may have an ink origin
ou not be assum ed that these are always ink related as usuaJly
th
A:~~~:~a numb er or P?5sib!e causes , not all of which are
overco
discuss
me a
ed here.
particu lar
rob) ange to one with differe nt proper ties may
em even thoug h the fundam ental cause may Ile elsewh ere.
P

Colo ur and print appearance faults

Viscosity or
Colou r and streng th drift may occur during a printing run.
ons may be the cause, but a badly dispers ed or formulated
machi ne variati ent or
ink may be unstab le after dilution giving rise to pigme nt settlem
of gloss may be noticed and the condit ion may be
flocculation. Loss ation
aggrav ated ii the solvent balance becomes upset due to evapor
care in
from the duct leading to resin preciphation. Good processing,and sol-
selection of materials, binders with good mutua l compa tibility
avoid
vent blends with comrolled evaporation to retain balance should
such problems. ink but
Mottle and poor lay can be the result of over-reduction of the faults.
lations which have poor flow tend to produc e prints with lay
formu cause and
Over-pigmentation or poor pigment/vehicle wetting may be a caused by
this should be correc ted during formul ation. ll the proble m is
solvent or
the Ink not wetting the substrate the addition of an alternative
a better wetting binder may Improve the lay properties. . This
Inks with poor now or bad wetting may cause a 'ghost image'and ls
is the appearance of a fainter unwanted image in a printedthe area
previous
the result oI local ink starvation on the transfer roll from
impression.

~ b i l i t y fault s
Dirty working is probably the most common printing fault
with flexo-
edges of the
graphy. When the problem is due to ink, poor resolubllity on up, thereby
the stereo ls the main reason, causing dried Ink to build
ing the stereo and giving it a ragged thick edge which shows on
enlarg ize the
the print. The use or a slower solvent or retarder will minim are funda-
proble m, althou gh binder solubil ity and low speed of solutio n
high resistan ce propen ies may necess itate
mental causes. Inks that need ts and
the use of a binder which has poor solubil ity In flexogr aphic solven
this may give rise to dirty working. 10 poor
Pinholing can occur on coated films, particularly MS film, due and
giving rise lo ink crawl after Impres sion
wettability of the surface me the
before drying . The addition of anti-pi nhole compo und may overco
mix of a
problem by improving wetting and sometimes an alternative Surface
diluen t which include s a good wetting solven t will also help.
e the ink
properties of substrates can vary and the printer may increas
film weight or pre-heat the web.
 632
t h
SCREEN rNKS
variety of fl n,s es from just 0 .
Thesc are described as l ?c varnish by altering the conditio ns of cure.
The windows are colexturmg ~ami~h es and produce a grain finish.
Which have good J' ourcd usmg highly transpa rent, dye-bas ed inks
switch. st
tghtia ness In order to survive the working Ufe of the

IO.I 4 INK-RELATED PRINTING PROBLEMS

~~ problems ~at occur ln screen printing are often not directly
incorrect
a Ji Utjblc to the •~ formulation. Problems occur Jn misuseareor commo n
~p · cat on of the mk or the final print. Listed below
£ oblems
\1ons.
and suggested solutions based on manipu lation of ink forrnula-

Adhesion
As screen printing is such a versatile process it is possible to screen print
on a very wide range of surfaces and thus each ~ubstrate can present Its
own ink adhesion problems. When screen printing on some plastics it ls
possible to base formulations on resins that bear similarity to the sub-
strate, e.g. acrylic resins for sheet acryllc, amino resins for melamine
lonna)dehyde mouldings, vinyl resins for self-adhesive PVC sheet. Resin
selection is the most important factor in achieving good adhesion. Indif-
ferent adhesion can sometimes be improved by solvent selection but this
Is not always rellable. A technique frequently used when printing on PVC
sheet is to include a higher proportion of cyclohexanone. This has the
eflect of etching and improving chemicaJ adhesion. This technique Is
never succcssrul H the basic ink formulation is unsuitable and has poor
Initial adhesion. ·
Inadequate flexibility can result in poor ink adhesio n; in this situation
modJflc atJons with plastldz er, or flexibfll zing resins will improve matters.
In thennoscttlng systems attention should be paid ro the reactive com-
ponent or catalyst, e.g. increas ing polyam lde content in an epoxy-
polyam ide screen ink will improv e flexibility and adhesio n.

~bb ling
Thfs fs a very common problem In screen printing, It Is usually a11ribut-
abJe to Jong Ilow or the inability of an ink Iilm to break cleanly between
mesh and substrate and may be overcome by the use or silicone deioa-
mers, non-silicone defoamers, increasing extender content, structuring
agents or Increasing solvency.

~ing
This has the appearance of hairline cracks In the print. Nonnally it only
occurs on plastic and is believed to be attributed to shrinkage or the ink
Iilm. Crazing can arise due to the ink solvent being withdrawn rapidly
3

,I
'

INK•RHATF.D PRINTING PROBLEMS 633

Irom the mm. Ir is most commonly seen when priming on solvent•

sensitive plastics such as polystyrene or overprinting heavily pigmented
inks. Crazing can be eJiminated by rcclucing solvency, lowering pigmen-
tation, correct resin selection or increasing plasddzer content.

Drying
Inks formulated for display application, i.e. printing of paper, board and
self-adhesive plastics, are expected to jet dry rapidly in 20-30 seconds. It
is obvious that in these conditions the evaporation rate of the solvent is
critical. However, this alone docs not govern the speed of drying. Most
screen inks require a balance of solvent and diluent to acliieve optimum
drying. AttentJon should be paid to solubility parameters and solvent
release of various resin systems. Poor solvent release can result in block-
ing and rewctting in the stack.

lntercoat adhesion
Poor adhesion bet.ween ink layers often appears in thermoseuing inks,
e.g. epoxys, amino and UV-curing inks. Overcuring of the first ink layers
is the obvious cause but this sometimes can be overcome by reducing the
reactivity of the system. e.g. lower catalyst content or In the case of epoxy
systems using a resin with high epoxide equivalent. If possible it is best to
avoid the use of silicone defoamers in thermosetting inks.

~thering .
This appears as an unsightly spray pattern around the print. Although
very often caused by static electricity charges, it can be attributed to poor
ink formulation. Feathering can be overcome by increasing extender
content, Improving solvency, retarding solvent evaporation, lndusion of
anti-static agents.

Mesh marking

Do/
A pattern of the mesh appears in the dried ink film. Always due to poor
ove,pigmemacion. May be oven:ome by increasing resin content.

rS'nholing
This is sometimes described as dssing or reticulation bur there is a subtle
dilferencc. Pinholing is nearly always due to high surface tension. It is
often caused by silicone contaminatio!'} bur can be eliminated by increas-
iny iliconc conccnt. Restricting the ink flow wiJJ also assist.

~ ick-up
When overprinting screen inks it is possible to redissolve:rhe first colour
down with t1,e overprinting colour. The fault shows itself as staining of
the mesh, loss of finish and mesh marking. The problem is caused -by