70 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk November / December 2023 - Issue 345 and packaging into a visually appealing sales tool. As such, printers need to select their ink carefully. “An ink’s formulation plays a key part in achieving consistent, high-quality printing,” Seward explains, adding: “But more than this, a company’s choice of ink can make or break its operational efficiency. “Conscious choices around ink can lead to improved press setup, operation, and changeovers. Modern ink technology facilitates ground-breaking print processes that can increase throughput and reduce waste, with the end result of improving a printer’s profit margin. Overlooking the benefits of good ink selection can lead to these benefits being missed, and in today’s flexo market, every advantage matters if businesses want to stay competitive.” Seward says there are too many examples of print companies prioritising cheaper inks at the expense of their overall efficiency. He explains that rather than being dazzled by low price per kilo ratios and using various aniloxes to achieve print results, printers should instead ask how an considering the warranty on offer from the manufacturer. Using inkjet as an example, he says print companies in this area should be looking to an ink manufacturer with a comprehensive ink warranty that outlines what to expect in support, should a product failure require machine service or repairs. This, he explains, can be evaluated prior to switching inks in warranty documents provided to support the inks, adding that any established ink manufacturer should provide prompt comprehensive technical support. “Ink manufacturers design inks around specific market requirements,” Ridge says, adding: “Those market requirements almost always dictate the raw materials used in the inks to achieve certain end-use functions such as flexibility, durability, and chemical resistance. These factors will affect the costs of the inks. “High-cost end-use products will require the use of high-cost, high-quality inks. Supply chain issues and availability are not usually related to the quality of an ink. Printhead issues associated with an ink is usually a quality-related issue and needs to be carefully considered when changing from and to OEM ink. Third-party ink manufacturers like Nazdar demonstrate the support of their products with an Inkjet warranty programme. “Nazdar has a history of industry leadership beginning with the introduction of the first commercial screen printing ink in 1922 and continuing to develop quality inks for the screen, inkjet, and flexo printing processes. This goes beyond the manufacturing of quality products to include a long history of providing product support, innovation, and industry association education.” A Key Element Elsewhere and another diversified supplier is Pulse Roll Label Products, which offers a range of ink, varnish, and coating solutions for the global label and packaging printing industry. Gary Seward, managing director at Pulse Roll Label Products, describes ink as the key element that transforms labels I would recommend using the SAFE criteria to determine which ink to use in this order: substrate, applications, finishing, and end-use BACK TO BASICS / INK TECHNOLOGY ▲ Nazdar offers a wide range of ink products across digital inkjet, screen, and narrow web printing
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