What is the viscosity of UV flexographic ink

What is the viscosity of UV flexographic ink

2024-08-03 17:59:56
admin

In the process of UV flexographic printing, the viscosity of the ink is one of the key factors that affect the printing quality and effect. Choosing the right viscosity UV flexographic ink is crucial to ensure printing quality and efficiency. When adjusting viscosity, it is usually necessary to consider many factors such as printing equipment, printing materials, image details and the expected printing effect.
The viscosity of UV flexographic inks is usually between 200 and 600 centipoise (cps). This range helps to achieve good flow and transfer performance during flexographic printing. The exact viscosity value will vary depending on the brand and application needs, so referring to the ink manufacturer's technical data sheet is an effective way to obtain an accurate viscosity value.
When we cannot obtain data from the ink manufacturer, we need to detect the viscosity of the ink through some technical means. So what effect does the viscosity of ink have on printing? Below we compare high viscosity and low viscosity inks from various aspects:

1.Printing quality

The viscosity of the ink directly affects the printing quality:

High viscosity: May lead to poor transfer of ink between the plate and the substrate, resulting in defects such as blurred images or ink accumulation.

Low viscosity: May lead to excessive ink flow, resulting in uneven printing, color inconsistency or leakage problems.

2.Dot reproduction

Viscosity affects dot reproduction:High viscosity: may cause the reproduction ability of small dots to decline, dot increase or deformation, affecting the image fineness.

Low viscosity: It is easier to reproduce small dots, but too low viscosity can cause the printed image to be unclear.

3.Color saturation and brightness

Viscosity has a significant effect on color performance:

High viscosity: Usually provides high color saturation and brightness because the high viscosity ensures that sufficient ink volume is transferred to the substrate.

Low viscosity: May lead to insufficient color saturation and brightness, dull printing effect.

4.Drying rateViscosity affects the drying speed of the ink:

High viscosity: Longer UV curing times may be required because of the higher concentrations of photoinitiators and resins in high viscosity inks and the slower curing process.

Low viscosity: usually the drying speed is faster, but too low viscosity may lead to too thin ink layer, affecting the curing effect.

5.Adaptability of printing equipment

Viscosity affects the adaptability of ink to printing equipment:

High viscosity: It may be necessary to adjust the Settings of the printing equipment, such as greater pressure or speed, to ensure uniform ink transfer.

Low viscosity: It is generally easier to adapt to various printing equipment, but it still needs to be adjusted appropriately according to the specific situation.

previous post next post