The Influence Of Blanket Type On Print Gloss Development, 2007 Coating & Graphic Arts Conference

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The development of print gloss is reported for the first time using actual printing inks, coatings and blanket materials. The print gloss for several blanket textures is measured at different printing conditions and ink levels. The results show that the surface structure of the blanket material has a significant influence on print gloss development. In addition to the blanket, the printing speed and ink amount also have an influence on print gloss. Nip pressure had little influence on print gloss. Higher blanket roughness and high printing speeds correlate with low gloss. Print gloss is a complex function of ink amount and depends on the printing surface. A model, based on the surface tension driven leveling of an ink filament, is proposed to predict the print gloss right after printing. The model predicts the correct gloss dynamics and gives insight into the length scale related to the blanket texture.