These days there is a big push to deliver high print quality from aqueous inkjet devices on offset grades – uncoated, coated, matte and gloss. In North America there is strong demand for this capability, but in the EU and other regions where prices for inkjet formulated papers are significantly higher than in North America, the demand for more substrate options is very high. Getting a water based ink to stick to a smooth surface is a feat of chemical gymnastics with a lot of individual tricks.
In today’s video, Marco Boer of I.T. Strategies talks about the component part of various OEM’s aqueous inkjet programs that are enabling inks to “stick it’ on challenging surfaces with a particular focus on aqueous coatings. In a previous interview, Marco broke the topic of ink sets down into the component parts and here we get an understanding of how that ink chemistry interacts with various coating options.
But, wait – there’s more about aqueous coatings…
Marco noted the capabilities of the Xerox Trivor and Screen Truepress in the video, but there are other devices that are also designed to print on offset stocks, with and without aqueous coatings. Also keep in mind that the array of production inkjet devices has expanded to include UV curable devices from Konica Minolta and Komori. UV curable inks currently have the most “stick” when it comes to offset coated grades without the need for coatings, but there is a trade-off in cost per page that must be considered. Check out Device Finder to access a wide range of specs for over 100 production inkjet devices (you will need to register to get access to our Device, Paper and Software Finder Tools).
If you are interested in learning more about coatings and the opportunities and complexities they introduce, check out Mary Schilling’s posts on Profiling with Primers and Coatings and How to Make an Inkjet Sandwich. If you would like to get an update on posts, tools and where to find the Inkjet Insight team delivered to your in-box make sure to sign up here. Our inbox digest is free, fun, convenient and it let’s us know that you like what we’re doing. We all need a little positive encouragement sometimes so what do you say? Give us a like and a follow and share the inkjet knowledge.
Elizabeth