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Communication surfaces are establishing their prominence in the emerging Knowledge Economy. This includes high valve print media, printed packaging and paper products and security devices. Print can be an essential component of a communication surface. Understanding and reducing print quality defects is important.

Here are some common print defects you should be aware of:

• Hickeys. A spotted pattern in the print. This is caused by foreign particles that adhere to the plate or blanket preventing proper ink transfer to the substrate.
   

• Adhesion. The ink has not adhered to the substrate. Can be an issue if there is some form of processing of the substrate after printing or adverse environmental influence.
   

• Scratches and Scuffing. Abrasion marks that break the image. Influenced by the choice of varnish used. In most cases there has to be a compromise between hardness or toughness of varnish and flexibility. Can occur anywhere in the distribution chain from printer to consumer.
   

• Ghosting. The ink film on the press sheet shows abrupt variations in the colour densities.
   

• Dry Up. An improper ink/water balance that leads to the non-image areas of the plate accepting ink. Present as ink smears, streaks and/or scumming.
   

• Offsetting. Wet ink on the surface of the sheet transfers or sticks to the backs of other sheets. The leaves ink voids on the printed surface.
   

• Register. Ink colours are not printed in the correct relative position to each other.

Having the proper techniques to understand the cause of these defects is critical to providing their solution. CETEC has a range of modern techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy and Non-Contact Surface Characterisation to help investigate print defects.

In providing solutions concerning process issues CETEC can use Design of Experiments to identify those significant factors that influence variation in the process. Design of Experiments is a multi-variable approach in which more information through less experimentation can be obtained.

Contact us for a free consultation and discover how CETEC can help you with solving your technical challenges. Contact us here.