Techniques for Preserving Ink for a Long Time and Reducing Costs
It is well-known that the viscosity and drying property of the ink are highly sensitive to changes in environmental temperature. When the temperature rises, the ink viscosity decreases and the drying speed increases relatively; conversely, the ink viscosity increases and the drying speed slows down.
Furthermore, the environmental humidity also has an impact on the drying property of the ink. Generally speaking, it is advisable to keep the temperature in the printing workshop within the range of 18 to 25℃ and the humidity within 55% to 65%.
Methods for extending the shelf life of ink
① The remaining ink after printing must be sealed and stored in a dark place. It can be reused in future production. Before reusing, it must be filtered through a 100-mesh or finer filter, thoroughly mixed, and then mixed with new ink for use.
② In some areas of the north, the winter climate is extremely cold. It is necessary to prevent the storage of ink outdoors to avoid the occurrence of gelation of the ink at low temperatures. If the ink undergoes gelation, it can be moved to a warmer warehouse or placed in hot water to restore the insoluble substances to their original state.
③ In the storage and management of ink, the "first-in, first-out" principle should also be followed. That is, the ink that is purchased first should be used first to prevent the ink from deteriorating due to prolonged storage.
④ The ink should be sealed to prevent dust. A large number of dust particles or various impurity particles may fall into the ink tank or adhere to the surface of the label material, thereby affecting the printing quality.
⑤ Safety comes first. When storing ink, try to keep it away from fire sources and heat sources to prevent any accidents from occurring.
⑥ It is advisable to maintain a constant temperature in the ink storage room, and the temperature difference between it and the printing workshop should not be too significant. If the temperature difference between the two is large, the ink should be moved to the printing workshop in advance. This not only helps to stabilize the ink performance but also ensures high production efficiency.
⑦ The ink also has a certain shelf life. If it is stored for too long, the various components in the ink formula may disintegrate or precipitate. Therefore, the ink should not be kept for an extended period. Generally, the retention period is about one year. Otherwise, it may affect the printing quality and even cause printing malfunctions.
