HP Scitex Inks Introduction Benny Dayan 2007 HewlettPackard
HP Scitex Inks Introduction Benny Dayan © 2007 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L. P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice
Ink R&D at HP Scitex • Main product: Digital printing wide-format Printers • Ink- taking its place at the frontlines 2
Scitex Vision Ink vs. systems 3
NPI – New Product Introductions SWF XLJet Bilpop Drum Turbojet-UV Turbojet-P VEEJet-P Displayjet FB UV VEEJet Packaging CORJet 2006 2007 2008 4
Scitex Vision Inks Activities • Own R&D teams in Israel and in South Africa altogether ~15 people • Solvent and UV curable ink manufacturing facility in Cape Town, South Africa. • Water-based ink manufacturing facility in Israel 5
Applicative IJ Ink • Office environment Highly reliable humectants • • • Water based • Dye based − No water fastness − Fading − Poor abrasion − Poor adhesion Printing media – paper Solution/dispersion − 8 - 25 c. Ps Solution − 2 -3 c. Ps • • Industrial Highly environment reliable - humectants • Water/Solvents based • Pigment based − Light fastness − High abrasion resistance • Resin − Water fastness (polymeric resin) − Good adhesion • Printing media – any substrate − Good wetting = surfactants 6
Types of Ink 7
Color Fading Tests Color Fading 8
Ink Composition (formulation) 9
Origin of pigments Before the Industrial Revolution, the range of color available for art and decorative uses was technically limited. Most of the pigments in use were earth and mineral pigments, or pigments of biological origin. Many pigments were known by the location where they were produced. Pigments based on minerals and clays often bore the name of the city or region where they were mined. Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna came from Sienna, Italy, while Raw Umber and Burnt Umber came from Umbria. Pigments from unusual sources such as botanical materials, animal waste, insects, and mollusks were harvested and traded over long distances. Some colors were costly or impossible to mix with the range of pigments that were available. Blue and purple came to be associated with royalty because of their expense. 10
Lapis lazuli Mineral pigments were also traded over long distances. The only way to achieve a deep rich blue was by using a semi-precious stone – Lapis lazuli 11
The Process Stabilizer Pigment in Matrix Mill Pigment concentrate in Matrix Magenta Ink Particle size Viscosity parameters Optical Density Stability Filterability 12
Ink manufacturing 1. Crude premix using dispermat (pigment, diluent, dispersant and possibly resin) 2. Mill base using bead mills 3. Assembly of ink 13
Ink manufacturing: Acquiring self-capability to mill base Together with associate-contractor a strategic decision to invest in milling capabilities: I. Ciba, Clariant, etc- The dependency on a limited number of pre-dispersed pigment suppliers was problematic. Having to deal with these companies prevented price-quality-creativity competition. II. Often change in their processes was without informing. III. Source from a wider supply base IV. Controls the complete process from start to finish ensuring product quality, consistency and production efficiency. Superior particle size, Substantially reduced unit cost, Wider pigment choice, Full control over formulation, Simplified down stream processing & Competitive advantage 14
Ink Manufacturing: The Process Milling Millbase Mixing • Solvent • Resin • Pigment Viscosity Adjustment • Pigment • Additives Filtration QA Samples • Phase 1 Bottling • Phase 2 Labeling • Phase 3 Packaging 15
Unique Features of UV-based Ink: Drying, P. I. S-lamp, Film Thickness, Environmental Solvent or water-based ink Solven t/water Dryer Substrate. Liquid ink Substrate Solid ink UV-curable ink UV light source Substrate. Liquid ink Substrate Solid ink 16
System Structure 17
Pigments Characterization Weather Stability Weather resistant pigments are usually lightfast but the reverse is not always the case. The selection of pigments for outdoor use depends on : • Outdoor performance required (life time, climatic region/ Kilo Langley) • Binder type • Concentration of the pigment • Presence of titanium dioxide (which typically accelerates fading) • Concentration and type of light stabilizers used. • Performance can also be influenced by the surface of the painted object and by the processing heat history. 18
Pigments Characterization Weather Stability (cont. ) Accelerated testing; • In addition to a xenon lamp, include wet cycles • Interspersed between longer dry cycles. • Weatherability is designated in Terms of the 1 -5 Grey Scale. • 5 represents no change and 1 a severe change. 19
Fields of knowledge 4. QAQC • Establishing “ink approval procedures” • Establishing methods – e. g, how to evaluate size? • Accelerated test for stability prediction • Equipment- ST, Rheometry viscometer, filtrations • Draw down characterization – OD, gloss, curing. . 20
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