Do IR lamps help ink dry?

[tambo]

I have a 40" press without IR lamps. I seem to have repeated problems of off-set, especially in front corners of sheet. Does any know whether it would be beneficial to install IR lamps in the press? Do the IR lamps really assist in the drying, enough to eliminate off-set problems. Yes, we are putting enough anti-offset spray powder on, ink densities and water settings are at a minimum. Or would I be wasting my money to install IR lamps?
dt

 

[REYES1377]

IR lamps do help the ink set up faster. Although your ink company should be able to get a faster setting ink for you to try. There are many factors on making sure your ink will dry properly. Chemistry is one of them. Would it benifit you? Sure.

 

[Jimbo]

If you're getting off-set then I think you are getting exactly what you want since off-set is a form of printing. If you're getting set-off which is the exact opposite by ink transferring to the back side of the sheet then I would say get the IR's to help remedy this. IR's will create a thin dry skin on top of the printed ink making it less probable that the ink will set-off to the back side of the next sheet.

It's not always a fail safe but it is beneficial and you'll find yourself using less powder and reduce risk of powder burn on the turn side.

 

[Mitsuboss]

IR drying

IR drying

IR lamps greatly speed up the curing of the ink.....
Offset powder alone will not prevent offsetting of printing...
The biggest factors involved in the proper drying of ink is a proper ink/water balance, quality ink and a drying system.....
with good ink/water balance and a good dryer you'll find you can run a minimum of spray powder with no worries (provided you are delivering the sheet smoothly)

You may also want to check if you are not offsetting the job by indiscreet use of pile wedges.....

 

[lfelton]

It may be a daft question, but have you checked 100% that your spray is working properly? If you've got set off in one area, then it's possible that you've got a blockage somewhere or the pattern is not set up properly. I know that happened to me years ago and it was a beggar to clear the blockage, I think we ended up buying a new part.

We have one press without IR and one with (+coating) and the IR definately speeds up drying and reduces spray a lot. Having said that, we (almost) never have set off on the press without IR and if we do it's always because we've bolluxed something up (technical term there).

IR are also fairly expensive to retrofit, I got a price earlier this year to fit one on a newish Lithrone 28 which was already factory "prepped" for IR and that was GBP40,000. So, much cheaper to sort your spray / working practices out IMO.

We use IR & coating to be able to W&T immediately and so that work can go immediately to the bindery, not to fix set off.

 

[rbailleu]

I have noticed it is difficult to get proper spray pattern near the lead edge of a sheet. but we seldom get set off at the lead edge. and Ir driers help greatly.

 

[GazKL440]

On the 40" i run we are regularily printing heavy solids with pretty full coverage and no IR driers, and the only time i have had set off issues is when i forgot to check the spray powder reservoir....ooops When doing shorter runs i will give it say 10mins before it gets clamped and turned in the pallet turner, and still dont get set off issues. Correct ink and water balance, as well as fountain chemistry, are vital to quick dry in times and turn around..

Are there specific inks for use with IR driers? I found on the last 40 i ran with the same ink/fount combination and IR driers was no better for drying time than the much faster Komori i run now, but it had multiple dampener headf**ks and was damn near impossible to keep stable..

 

[madjock]

A bit off topic but I find it funny that so many people use the term "Offset" when they actually mean set off, if you look on the side of the spray box, it says anti set off powder, just wondering how it has become transposed??

 

[maxon]

A bit off topic but it's worth considering to monitor the fountain pH.

 

[nhprinter]

A bit off topic but I find it funny that so many people use the term "Offset" when they actually mean set off, if you look on the side of the spray box, it says anti set off powder, just wondering how it has become transposed??

The boxes use to say "offset spray powder". I've been in this business for almost 40 years and we've always called it "offset".

Maybe it varies by the part of the country or by country, but "set-off" didn't creep into the picture until the last 10 years or so. Hard to teach an old dog a new language

 

[Mahor]

lamp helps, but if you do a self-made design, be care to take out of heat ( hot air). Otherwise, you will get the opposite effect. It will be dry even longer.
Good luck

 

[garciaaa]

IR dryers do improve drying significantly especially with heavy solid panels. It will also improve your production speeds as well and reduce spray powder improving product appearance.

Our company offers an economical IR module system comprised of twin tube IR technology. The cost of equipping a 40" press with 3 modules is under $6,000.00 US. For more information visit our website - SINCAL - "Exporting a World of Printing Equipment and Graphic Arts Supplies".

Thanks,
AG

 

[abc228]

Funny i have been in printing 22 years and until last month had never heard offset referred to as set-off.We had a prisco tech in the plant & he was using the term set-off ,new to me also--------------

 

[printerpete]

lol i had only heard set-off, so when i used to hear people say offset when talking about spray i used to think they said it by mistake, but sounds like thats what it is meant to be called

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Set Off

Set Off

Hello fellow Lithographers,


The origins of the word "Set-off" began in the days of Letterpress Printing.

In the UK It's always Set-off - never Offset, remember we print using ----

"Offset-lithography"

Regards, Alois

See PDF

 

[GJOHN]

The first thng I would ask is what changed? If you did not have this problem before, something must have changed. Some ink companies are getting thier inks made in third world countries with no name companies to save money. The Low VOC inks will not set as fast as an ink with say 10-12% VOC. Did the fountain solution brand or the dosage change? The more Butyl cellosolve (alcohol sub.) you have in the formula the more setting and drying isues you will have.
George John
269-216-8088.

 

[1Pressman]

Ink setoff

Ink setoff

INK, chemistry, paper, and powder sprayer are the biggest influences to ink drying!!!.
IR dryer only improves ink drying. Make sure powder sprayer is clean. PH not too acidic 4.5-5.0 if you're having ink drying problem. Try changing ink-THAT makes a HUGH difference-Talk to your ink supplier.
Good Luck!

 

[turbotom1052]

i would encourage you to check that the very gripper of your sheet is not falling into the shadow of your delivery gripper. ive seen a poorly aimed powder system actually "miss" the very lead edge of the printed sheet. also you might want to check the timing of the spray release. you might need to deviate a little from the manufacturers specs in order to time your spray release enough to lead the sheet a little more. good luck in finding a solution.

 

[turbotom1052]

also be careful of wedges!!!!

 

[canadian printer]

At our shop we call set-off .......RE-RUN...