Ink contamination with paper lint

Hello Costaricaprinter,
We have the same type of issues in our print industry., and people use the low quality offset papers or similar to the one you mentioned.
The tricks that we use here and that work well too are,

Adding kerosene oil to the ink. This reduces the tack of the ink without too much side effects.
I have used this method a lot on SM102s with alcolor dampening system and found it to be the best.
Next trick which I have not used my self but a guy on the other press with conventional dampening system, he used to add General Purpose grease to the ink and I have seen it works amazingly well. Causes some trouble on alcolor system.
Also as alois mentioned, try using web ink, this also helps in these situations. we have here a brand named WEBTOP by Daihan inks korea.
I dont know it is heatset or coldset as I dont have any experience with web presses, but it works. Not so good in hot environment.
I hope this helps.
 
When you say use web ink, the only relief you are getting is from the reduced tack versus a sheet fed. The reduction in roller stability and wetness of the ink film with a heat set ink is an iffy proposition, particularly when you move to lighter take off forms.

GDI. Get your ink supplier involved or change ink companies. I realize that ink technical servicing may be limited in Costa Rica, but this is exactly what you need. Someone who can audit your press room and then make necessary nuts and bolts adjustment by internal ink formulation.

If they fail to provide this service move on to another supplier, QUICKLY. The loss of sales may prompt them to get a qualified ink doctor into your press room.

That sir, is the prescription and my story, and I am sticking with it.

D Ink Man
 
well my experience is with kerosene is that it helps in drying. I dont know the reason for that but in difficult spot color jobs with heavy coverage we add kerosene and it works amazingly well.
 
Kerosene and Litho Ink

Kerosene and Litho Ink

Hello aqazi81

A recognized "Print Technician" would not use Kerosene(Paraffin) as a liquid Litho Ink Reducer!

I suggest you learn about "The Manufacture of Lithographic Printing Inks" also " The Chemistry of Lithography"


Some PDFs - which I hope will be of interrest and value.Drying Methods of Printing Ink


Regards, Alois
 
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@Alois.... You are right but with a market that has not much available options, a press operator has to print the job somehow and this kerosene method was used here by old pressman and when you work with those old guys you learn many tricks that work.
But now as I am working with a pressroom chemical supplier, I do not suggest press operators to use kerosene.
The reason I posted that was in context to the question which costaricaprinter asked.
 
An option, albeit a not very good one....

Raise your forms of the plate till they are barely touching it, like i mean the hint of a stripe. When you start printing you will have to flood the train with ink in order for it to transfer (same with the water system). But minimizing that contact will also minimize the lint feedback from your plate to the roller train. you may need to shutdown to remove the lint from the plate at some point, but, it will probably be simpler than taking care of the whole press. It will also take a little experimentation to figure what stripe works best.

But before i get blasted for this idea....like is said, a terrible idea that might just work
 
High lint paper is always a problem for offset. It gets all through the ink and water system as well as all over the machine. After you clean the ink using the cleanup attachment, you then need to use water to clean the lint from the rollers too. You may even need to scrub them with a damp shop towel. It is mandatory that the rubber pan roller and the chrome or stainless ductor roller stay free of ink for the best quality printing. Because you need to soften the ink to prevent paper dust in the ink, you are also reducing the inks ability to withstand emulsification. The ink is becoming waterlogged and piles on the water rollers and perhaps on the other rollers as well making things very messy. Perhaps a paste reducing compound may work better than linseed oil or petroleum.

PetroLATUM, not petroleum. Two different animals. Other option if petroLATUM does not suit you is Orange Solid Oil.

D
 
If the paper lint is covering the non image areas as well you need a high release fountain solution. Without a high release fountain solution it wont matter what you do to the ink, inevitably the poor quality paper will still cause issues.
 
Had that issue years ago running high bulk stock ,was crazy,washing blankets was a nightmare that was on a goss community
 
Have you noticed if there is a higher concentration of paper on your blankets around the perimeter of the sheet, or does the entire first blanket get evenly covered with paper lint? If its worse around the perimeter then you could try a couple of different things. You could wipe down all 4 edges of the sheet before you load it into the press with a tack rag or a rag coated with glycerine. You could also as suggested run the paper through the press on impression to use the blankets to clean off the sheet. If you do this don't forget to turn off your spray powder, and then turn it back on when ready to print. Or you could take the time to "back trim" all paper edges provided you can get by with a slightly smaller sheet. You only need to take off like maybe a mm or 2 on each edge. Be sure if you do the back trim thing your doing it with a nice sharp cutter knife.
 

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