FAQ of Water-Based Ink

Characteristics of water-based gravure ink？

(1)No irritating odor，Non flammable and explosive，in compliance with environmental requirements，Able to ensure the physical health of workers to a certain extent，Contribute to safety production.
(2) The printing effect is better、Clear text、Complete printing dot and strong chromogenic properties.
(3)Flat concave combined with fast printing，non-strike-through、Non proliferation、when folded and kneaded slight drop of ink powder.
（4) It Can adapt to fast printing requirements，and create conditions for the development of gravure technology，Represents the development direction of gravure ink.

What is the VOCS content of water-based ink？

Look at the VOCs content of the flexible water-based ink produced by Zhongzhixing: According to SGS test report,Its VOCs content is less than or equal to 1%, It is difficult to find other manufacturers with such low VOCs content in the industry.After all, the national standard is less than 5%. The lower the VOCs content of water-based ink,It means the more expensive ,the more difficult the production process,Due to the ink adhesion, sun resistance, scratch resistance, and other properties of ink, chemicals in the ink are need to provide relevant properties，Which is why the solvent-based ink is better than the water-based ink adhesion,drying faster,but the VOCs content is higher.

Standard for food grade water-based ink？

In 2023, Star Color once again entrusted SGS testing agency to conduct FDA food grade testing for the produced water-based ink. and the test results showed that it fully met the US FDA food grade standards. The first report clearly shows that the testing agency is the internationally renowned SGS, and the test date is January 3, 2023,The inspection company is Huizhou Zhongzhixing Color Technology Co., LTD., this time a total of four colors were sent for test, and this report is about black.The test requirements for this test are to test the provided ink sample according to FDA 21 CFR 175.300- Total extract standard.

The problem and solution of color fading when printing non-woven fabrics with water-based flexographic ink？

The cause of fading when flexographic water-based ink printing non-woven fabrics may be:
(1)Improper surface treatment of non-woven fabrics can not ensure the firmness of ink and substrate.
(2)Improper addition of curing agents and additives in the ink, resulting in the detachment of pigments on the surface of printed materials.
(3)The printing process parameters are not suitable, such as insufficient printing pressure,insufficient drying temperature, insufficient drying time, etc.
Possible solutions to the previous problem:
(1)Pre-treatment the surface of the non-woven fabric before printing, such as the use of fire, corona and other methods to increase the hydrophilicity and adhesion of the non-woven fabric surface.
(2)Select appropriate curing agent and auxiliary according to the characteristics of printing materials to ensure the adhesion of ink and substrate.
(3)Adjust the printing process parameters according to the actual situation, ensure that the printing matter is dried thoroughly, and improve the ink and substrate adhesion and durability.
During the printing process, try to avoid repeating the same printing position to avoid ink and pigment detachment.At the same time, quality testing methods, such as friction fastness testing, can be used to ensure the durability and firmness of the printed matter.

Reasons and solutions for after tack of gravure water-based ink？

After tack of water-based ink printing may be caused by the following reasons:
(1)Ink viscosity is too high and difficult to flow, causing ink to adhere to the surface of the printing plate instead of the printed material.
(2)Improper surface treatment of the printing plate, such as being too smooth, rough, or not clean, can also lead to after tack.
(3)Printing speed is too fast, the printing matter and the printing plate separation is not complete, causes the ink after tack.
Solution:
(1)Adjust the ink viscosity so that it flows better and does not adhere to the surface of the printing plate.
(2)Ensure that the surface of the printing plate is clean and properly treated to avoid resulting after tack.
(3)Slow down the printing speed to allow for complete separation of the printed matter to avoid after tack.
(4)Use appropriate desiccant to speed up ink drying and reduce after tack.
Check the depth and pressure of the printing plate to ensure that the depth and pressure of the printing plate are appropriate, so that the ink can be transferred correctly to the printed material.

Shipping precautions for export of water-based ink？

(1)Pay attention to whether the packaging of the goods is wooden, if it is wooden, it is necessary to determine whether there is a fumigation mark.
(2)Export water-based ink shipping must do a good job packaging to avoid leakage.
(3)Water-based ink exports must pay attention to the port of destination countries whether it is considered to be dumping products, and to have the overseas person determine in advance whether it belongs to anti-dumping goods.

Why do we need water-based ink?

(1)The VOC content of water-based ink for flexographic printing is 5%, while the VOC content of solvent based ink for flexographic printing is 75%, a difference of 15 times between the two.
(2)For every 1L of solvent based ink used, it means that 15 times more VOCs are emitted into the air
(3)VOCs are one of the main components of air pollution, which can form ground level ozone with nitrogen oxides under the action of sunlight. This is not only harmful to human health, but also leads to reduced crop yields and other environmental problems. So when printing, we should try to choose water-based ink instead of solvent based ink.