Use of Advanced Statistical Experimental Design and Improved Testing Protocol for Evaluating Different Binder Technologies for the Web Offset Coated..., 1995 Coating Conference Proceedings

Jamel Attal

Mark Pollock

Dan Obermiller

Dow Chemical

The web offset market is one of the largest market segments in coated paper. Products require a balance of properties including sheet gloss, printability, strength and fold crack resistance. Many programs are underway to examine the use of higher coat weights, higher binder levels and higher moisture content for improved coated paper performance. However, all these trends increase the potential of blistering during printing. Blisters formed during web offset printing of coated papers are an aesthetic and economic problem for printers. Many experimental binder technologies have been developed in the past few years and evaluated independently for providing improved coated paper properties without sacrificing blister resistance. This investigation is an attempt to use an advanced statistically designed study to directly compare many of these technologies. The focus of this paper is the balanced incomplete block [BIB] experimental design and an improved blister testing protocol. The BIB design minimizes effects from variations in formulation preparation, coating and testing procedures. The testing protocol insured that enough samples can be coated and tested in a single day with enough replication to make the data more meaningful.