A Study on The Effect of Dampening Conductivity in the Offset Printing Printability

오프셋인쇄 축임물의 전도도가 인쇄적성에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

Offset printing is one of the well known printing technique of lithographic process and consists of image area and 'non-image area on a flat image carrier. The surface tension of dampening water can be controlled by adding IPA after mixing of raw water and etching solution. The etching solution contains a surfactant for reducing surface energy, a clean agent for non-imaging area, wetting agent for protecting non-imaging area from oil components like ink and also an emulsifying agent for controlling emulsification. In this study, the present situation of dampening water maintenance has examined by collecting dampening water using at domestic companies. The pH related to dampening water, conductivity, contact angle, emulsification curve are measured to define the current situation of dampening water control of each companies and to analyze the relationship among measured properties. In the study most of companies among 16 printing companies tested controlling dampening water through pH value. However, the quality of printing has varied depending upon conductivity, contact angle, IPA content, and emulsification value. The control of dampening water should be carry at the state of the standard when adding proper ratio of etching solution. It would be more effective when pH or conductivity control carries out in parallel with controlling dampening water. Therefore the concept that pH5.5 is correct is based concept. Based on these initial tests it is defined that the standardization of dampening water control is required.