Offset printing ink usage and inventory management

Ink is one of the main consumables for printing. With the increasing number of color prints, there are more and more ink dosages and varieties. If it is used improperly and inventory management, it will inevitably affect the quality of prints and cause waste. Therefore, it is imperative to regulate the use of ink and inventory management.

Problems that exist

1. The use of inks (1) The rapid development of offset printing, the rapid increase in installed capacity, some new machine operators lack knowledge and experience in the use of ink;
(2) The method of opening the ink cartridge with the ink pen and the ink scooping method are not correct;
(3) Improper sealing of the remaining ink, causing the ink surface to dry;
(4) The ink has no fixed place or storage rack in the workshop;
(5) The ink knife is placed at will after the ink is transferred or added;
(6) The ink stored in the workshop is exposed to direct sunlight or affected by high temperature;
(7) Lack of experience in the transfer of ink. When adjusting the color ink, the hue cannot be grasped. Try to print multiple times. In addition, due to its improper operation method, it is easy to cause excessive ink transfer.
(8) Inappropriate varieties and proportions of ink additives were added, resulting in printing failures;
(9) Insufficient prepress preparation, such as plate loading, pad printing, water transfer, ink transfer adjustment, and pressure adjustment between the rollers. After printing, in order to make up for the error, it is necessary to use more ink or increase the number of test prints, resulting in ink waste.
2. Inventory Management (1) The quality management process or the lack of funds from the raw materials into the factory to the product leaving the factory cannot be implemented. If the purchased ink does not match, the storage time is too long or the ink is too thin and the concentration is low.
(2) The inventory environment is sub-standard, the ink fails quickly, and the use quality is poor;
(3) The warehouse custodian lacks professional knowledge, has little communication with the production management department and the workshop, and lacks scientific management in the incoming goods volume and the purchase cycle, resulting in the warehouse storing too much ink or a certain amount of ink storage, and some inks are not stocked;
(4) Inventory inks are not categorized, or they are not stored in the normal order.

Standardized use and inventory management

1. Ink use specification (1) Record the ink batch number and inspection date when printing, and fill in the worksheet, to facilitate the occurrence of problems, contact the ink factory in time, and distinguish the responsibility for quality accidents.
(2) Operators must fully prepare prepress to determine normal ink usage.
(3) Determine and maintain the ideal printing pressure, stabilize the ink-water balance, and not only improve the quality of the prints, but also ensure the normal amount of ink.
(4) Correctly estimate the amount of ink used in each batch of prints to prevent the excess ink. To determine the amount of ink must be combined with the theory of practice, and continue to accumulate experience:
1 Offset printing ink is mostly printed on paper or cardboard. The quality and surface smoothness of the paper, oil absorption are different, and the amount of ink consumption is different;
2 The type and speed of the printing press are different, and the required ink viscosity and fluidity are also different. Therefore, the amount of ink used for each batch of printing is also different.
3Ink's type, ratio, viscosity, drying performance is different;
4 color sequence arrangement and different color printing intervals are different;
5 layout design, pattern shape and graphic area are different, even if the same size of the printed product, mainly in text or in the field, its use of ink is not the same;
6 The concentration of ink is one of the main factors affecting the amount of ink. With high concentration ink, the amount of ink applied can be relatively small.
(5) Master the knowledge about ink additives, and add suitable additives according to the actual situation during printing.
(6) After a product has been printed, the remaining ink should be shovelled back to the ink tank in time, and topped with a varnish on the surface of the ink.



Source: Ke Yin Media - "Printing Technology"