From the mail in our mailbox to the clothing that we wear to all of our food packages, ink is found everywhere. We use it for writing, printing and decorating, and thousands of businesses depend on ink for at least some part of their production. While this is all true, few people really know much about this all-important product. Here are some general facts about ink.
Formulas vary by brand and type of ink, but generally speaking, ink has three typical components. Colorant is the first component of ink, and these are made using either dyes or pigments. Dyes have a much wider color range and are less expensive than pigment inks. On the other hand, dyes are more easily affected by water, and this water solubility means that even a single drop of water can ruin your print and that dyes take longer to dry. They also have been known to fade more quickly than pigments.
Pigments are costlier and have fewer color options, but they do dry very quickly, are less water soluble and last longer. Pigment inks are often favored by those printing on a glossy surface and by photographers who work with black and white imagery. These days, dye inks dry faster and last longer than they did in the past, so they are used more frequently, especially when you want deep and rich colors.
The next component in inks is the binder, which also is known as the vehicle. This binder is what helps the ink adhere to the surface on which it is being placed. The binder also helps the ink flow from the press or cartridge onto the surface on which you are printing. Typically, different types of resins are used to make these binders, and each is carefully formulated. Many resins are oil based.
Another component of ink is additives, and these have many functions. Each manufacturer has its own formula of additives. These are used to improve drying times, to help ink flow, to improve lubrication and to make an ink more mar resistant. The additives include substances such as oils, including flax seed oil, linseed oil and china wood oil. Petroleum-based oils also are sometimes used, as well as dry or wet waxes. Cobalt and manganese often are used to improve oxidation or drying time.
Ink comes in several different forms, including liquid form, dry or as a paste. Make-up fluids are then added before the inks are used in a printer. If you own an industrial coder, such as a Domino coder, Altima coder or perhaps a VideoJet id printer, you can purchase low-cost, high-quality inks from a product id company that specializes in selling inks, parts and services for those businesses that use id coders.
Formulas vary by brand and type of ink, but generally speaking, ink has three typical components. Colorant is the first component of ink, and these are made using either dyes or pigments. Dyes have a much wider color range and are less expensive than pigment inks. On the other hand, dyes are more easily affected by water, and this water solubility means that even a single drop of water can ruin your print and that dyes take longer to dry. They also have been known to fade more quickly than pigments.
Pigments are costlier and have fewer color options, but they do dry very quickly, are less water soluble and last longer. Pigment inks are often favored by those printing on a glossy surface and by photographers who work with black and white imagery. These days, dye inks dry faster and last longer than they did in the past, so they are used more frequently, especially when you want deep and rich colors.
The next component in inks is the binder, which also is known as the vehicle. This binder is what helps the ink adhere to the surface on which it is being placed. The binder also helps the ink flow from the press or cartridge onto the surface on which you are printing. Typically, different types of resins are used to make these binders, and each is carefully formulated. Many resins are oil based.
Another component of ink is additives, and these have many functions. Each manufacturer has its own formula of additives. These are used to improve drying times, to help ink flow, to improve lubrication and to make an ink more mar resistant. The additives include substances such as oils, including flax seed oil, linseed oil and china wood oil. Petroleum-based oils also are sometimes used, as well as dry or wet waxes. Cobalt and manganese often are used to improve oxidation or drying time.
Ink comes in several different forms, including liquid form, dry or as a paste. Make-up fluids are then added before the inks are used in a printer. If you own an industrial coder, such as a Domino coder, Altima coder or perhaps a VideoJet id printer, you can purchase low-cost, high-quality inks from a product id company that specializes in selling inks, parts and services for those businesses that use id coders.
About the Author:
Keren Kipfer enjoys researching products for industrial manufacturers such as ink jet printers. To get further information about VideoJet fluids for your printers or to find a CIJ inkjet printer, please check out the PrintJet site now.
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