Optical Variable Ink (Colour Shift Inks) for Offset

ponnapati123

Well-known member
Recently we brough OPtical Variable Ink, which changes colour from one angle to another. When we tried this ink in UV Offset we didn't get the color shift. But the same ink when we applied in screen printing, it is showing much better OVI effect. Then we understand this ink needs more decposit, later on we tried with two pass and three pass in the offset but we couldn't get the result. How to improve the ink deposit in the offset machine even after 100% solid screen. Could anyone let me know the OVI Offset ink, I found many suppliers in Screen Printing. But due to quantity is big we are looking for the offset Optical Variable Ink. Could anyone assist on this problem.
 
Recently we brough OPtical Variable Ink, which changes colour from one angle to another. When we tried this ink in UV Offset we didn't get the color shift. But the same ink when we applied in screen printing, it is showing much better OVI effect. Then we understand this ink needs more decposit, later on we tried with two pass and three pass in the offset but we couldn't get the result. How to improve the ink deposit in the offset machine even after 100% solid screen. Could anyone let me know the OVI Offset ink, I found many suppliers in Screen Printing. But due to quantity is big we are looking for the offset Optical Variable Ink. Could anyone assist on this problem.
I am curious. Why can you not put more ink down on the first pass on your offset press?

I know that existing offset presses can reach a limit on the amount of ink it can feed into the roller train. This can happen when the coverage is very high and there is a need to put down a lot of ink film on the substrate.

Maybe you have a situation where you have a lot of coverage. I could suggest a test. Print a small coverage area and try to put down a lot of ink on that. Then see if the ink optically performs the way you want. If it does, that would mean the ink will work if the wet film is thick enough.

To reduce the coverage of your situation, you could do two passes but not overprinting. Print part of the image area on the first pass with thick ink and print the other part of the image on the second pass with think ink.

Maybe my idea is totally worthless for your situation but I hope it might give you some other ideas. Good luck.
 
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The optically variable inks contain particles which act as interference filters, and the color change depends upon the angle of incidence of the light hitting them. You need a sufficiently think ink film, which is why screen, and probably gravure, work for this application. Offset just doesn't lay down enough ink.
 

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