Printing Technologies: Ink Properties

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the unique skills that a designer brings to a job?

Detailed knowledge of printing processes

Strong relationships with paper vendors

Ability to make suggestions to control costs

Creative expertise and limitation consideration (correct)

Why is early communication between clients, designers, and printers crucial in the design production process?

It prevents waste of time and money during the process (correct)

It allows designers to create multiple prototypes

It guarantees that all designs will be approved

It ensures that deadlines can be rushed

Which key factor can a printer provide input on to meet project requirements?

Creative concepts for the design

Design layout and aesthetics

Client relationship management

Materials and processes used for production (correct)

What determines the choice between 4c process and spot color in a project?

Decisions made by the designer regarding finishes and processes Signup and view all the answers

What is an important role of a printer in satisfying client and designer needs?

Satisfying client and designer demands regardless of input Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of sustainable development?

To meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly represents the three pillars of sustainability?

People, Profit, Planet Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of the 4R strategy in sustainability?

To minimize environmental impact through resource management Signup and view all the answers

How does a circular economy differ from a linear economy?

It focuses on regenerative practices to extend product life. Signup and view all the answers

What does Life Cycle Assessment measure?

The environmental impacts of a product, process, or system Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of greenwashing?

Vague claims about a product's eco-friendliness without specific evidence Signup and view all the answers

What role do environmental certification programs play for printers?

They help printers to meet sustainability goals and improve practices. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the concept of sustainable forestry?

Managing forest resources to meet current and future needs Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of lithographic fountain solution?

To clean the non-image areas of the printing plate from ink Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the non-image area of an offset plate?

It is hydrophilic, attracting water Signup and view all the answers

What composition percentage does gum arabic constitute in fountain solution?

1-5% Signup and view all the answers

Which property is essential for the image areas of offset plates?

They must be oleophilic to attract ink Signup and view all the answers

What is the ideal pH range for fountain solution?

3.5-5.5 Signup and view all the answers

What issue arises from excessive emulsification of ink in fountain solution?

Slow ink drying Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of digital printing?

Allows for both static and variable prints Signup and view all the answers

What materials are often used for the construction of offset plates?

Aluminum or polyester Signup and view all the answers

Which component of fountain solution aids in binding it to the plate?

Phosphoric acid Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true regarding the speed of Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) printing?

It runs at a higher speed but produces lower quality prints Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Thixotropy

Time-dependent shear-thinning property (viscosity changes with time and shear)
Certain gels or fluids are thick under static conditions but flow when agitated
They take time to return to their viscous state
Conventional offset inks are shear-thinning; stiff in the container but become fluid on a slab

Tack

Stickiness of the ink, or the force required to split an ink film between surfaces
First ink must be tackier than the second to transfer correctly

Picking

Occurs when ink tack is greater than paper surface strength, causing paper to split or tear

Ink Drying - Setting

Initial stage of drying; the printed sheet can be handled without smudging (surface dry) but not fully dry

Ink Drying - Drying

Wet film converts to hard solid state by absorption, evaporation, oxidation, polymerization, or other means

Absorption

Ink penetrates paper when printed

Evaporation

Solvent from ink evaporates

Oxidative Polymerization

Drying oils in inks form three-dimensional chains; longer chains lead to less smudging

Offset Printing

Requires both absorption and oxidation for full drying

Process Inks (CMYK)

Designed for transparency; allow for multiple colors to be printed

Pantone Inks

High coverage, opaque, and vivid color

Flexographic Printing

Modern relief printing process using a flexible plate and liquid ink
Commonly used for web printing on various substrates (films, foils, bags)

Constructing Flexo Plates

Photosensitive polymer hardened with UV light exposure
Image areas exposed, non-image areas removed

Ink Mixing

Pantone inks are mixed by weight, not volume
Using a densitometer/spectrophotometer for color

Inkjet Printing

Drop on demand (DOD) thermal/piezoelectric: electric current heats or causes shape change, pushing out ink drops

Life Cycle Assessment

Formal quantitative method to evaluate environmental impact of product, process, or system

Environmental Certifications

Programs like FSC and SFI help printers meet sustainability goals and improve practices

Greenwashing

Vague, misleading claims of eco-friendliness by manufacturers

Circular Economy

Alternative to traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose)
Regenerative design to maintain product value and materials. Aims to reuse materials & products.

Triple Bottom Line

Environmental, economic, and social factors considered in sustainable development.

Four R Strategy

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew
Reducing materials: best practice for circular economy.

Life Cycle of a Product

Raw materials (logging, mining) are sourced
Manufacturing (pulping, folding, laminating, coating, printing) procedures used
Distribution (truck, train, shipping methods used)
End-of-life (landfill, reuse, recycling, or repurposing)

Xerographic Printing

Dominant method for reproducing images and printing computer data
Used in copiers, laser printers, and fax machines

Toners for Xerography

Pigment particles in a tiny plastic bead
Must be fused to the substrate using heat (substrates are heat resistant)

#: Sustainability

Factors and measures involved in using resources while maintaining the ability of the environment or future generations to support their needs.

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Description

This quiz focuses on the various properties of inks used in printing, including thixotropy, tack, picking, and drying processes. Understand how these factors influence the performance of ink on different surfaces and under different conditions. Test your knowledge on how inks behave from application to drying.