Features

The Challenge of Emulsification

For offset printers, emulsification, or ink/water balance, is a major challenge, and ink manufacturers are offering guidance to help customers run their presses as smoothly as possible.

We all know the old saying that oil and water don’t mix. Interestingly, that is the concept behind lithography, as oil-based inks are almost completely repelled by water on the plates, forming a slight emulsion.     Unfortunately, though, emulsification, or ink/water balance, is the largest headache for offset printers. It’s not just the ink and fountain solutions; plates, substrates, temperature, humidity and pigment strength, are among the many factors that can derail the ...

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