Ink emulsification and solution

When the ink and fountain solution are mixed, the fountain solution is uniformly dispersed in the ink with fine particles to form an emulsification. When the water content in the ink reaches about 20%, a "stable" emulsification state that is most suitable for printing is formed. If the water content is too high or the pH of the fountain solution is too low, problems such as decreased ink dispersion ability, reduced fluidity, unstable emulsification, and ink build-up may occur. Different types of ink will produce different conditions of emulsification, compared with the general ink, synthetic ink, metal ink, fluorescent ink is more sensitive to water content and pH value. Emulsified inks can delay drying time and increase the risk of back-printing.

Solution:

Set ink balance correctly and continuously monitor throughout the production process

When the ink is emulsified, the ink roller should be cleaned and ink should be re-printed according to the correct ink ratio.

Check the fountain solution and replace it on time (ideal fountain solution: raw water hardness 8dH ~ 120dH, pH 4.8 ~ 5.5, temperature 10 °C ~ 150 °C)

If you use the Heidelberg continuous alcohol system, you should use ink-and-ink printing or hair dryers to remove excess water.

Try to avoid frequent pre/post dampening, especially in the open color correction stage, to avoid the accumulation of excess water in the roller

Adjust the ink roller correctly

When printing small ink levels, adding extra ink strips to the layout will help balance the ink.