Inkjet’s Age to printer vendors, and of course, PSPs and designers. For both PSPs and designers coming from an off set environment, inkjet production presents a paradigm shift . In the off set world, for the majority of work produced, paper is hardly a consideration. “But in the inkjet world, paper matters,” noted Wren. Because of the nature of the water based ink used in inkjet production, the substrate used is of supreme importance, said Wren. In fact, it is oft en cited as the prime component in defi ning the level of color quality. Meanwhile, many designers are not familiar with the diff erences between off - set, toner, and inkjet production in terms of how the how paper receives ink. With off set, the ink absorbs into the paper slightly, but the vast majority of the color remains at the surface. When printing with a toner device, the toner particles sit on the surface of the paper, so the paper does not impact the color very much. However with inkjet technology, the ink’s major component is water; to help the ink dry, the substrate needs some absorbency. “Th is is critical to fast production and the proper operation of downstream fi nishing equipment,” said Jammallo. The Color Factor Th e color gets absorbed into the strata of the paper during the inkjet printing process. “Th erefore, inkjet images are infl uenced much more by the fi bers and fi llers that go into making paper,” Jammallo explained. “Th e ink and the paper together make the color gamut. Th e interactions between the ink and the paper need to be managed for optimum results.” “Inkjet inks also impact the range of papers on which one can print and the specifi c colors that can be reproduced,” said Jammallo. “Depending on the ink and paper type, the ink will be absorbed at varying levels into the paper. Th e deeper an ink absorbs into the paper, the more muted the color becomes. To ensure that paper works well with their inkjet printing machines, inkjet press manufacturers have relationships with paper manufacturers, and are constantly testing and to provide feedback and how it works with our systems.” Another area of concern is printing large solids across the entire page; not an issue in off set production, said Wong. With inkjet digital technology, however, depending on the paper and saturation you are pursuing, large solids can be challenging. Ink loading is critical. “We always try to encourage designers to have a balanced ink load,” from front to back and side to side,” said Wren. “We can print those sheets that aren’t balanced, but for optimal quality a balanced ink load works best.” In a conventional print environment, you can lay one color on top of another Print and Paper have a great environmental story to tell! Please join us for our Annual Seminar at Graph Expo! We have great speakers lined up including Mary Anne Hansan, Executive Director, Paper and Packaging Board and Martyn Eustace, Managing Director, Print Power Europe Ltd. Everyone is welcome! Our Annual Seminar will be held on Tuesday, September 27th, 2016, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, at the Orange County Convention Center-North in Orlando, Florida (Room N320BC, North Building, Level 3). See the speakers and agenda on our website. Click. Share. Bust some myths! www.twosidesna.org For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10850132 PrintingNews®com September 2016 ® Printing News 25
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