Formulation Technology and the Calendering Process Need to Work Together for Optimum Coated Paper Performance, 2001 Engineering / Finishing & Converting Conference Proceedings

A. V. Lyons--How do we make the coating formulation, the coating process, and the calendering process work together to provide the desired results sought in coated paper manufacturing? How does the base sheet effect your answer? New calendering technologies are influencing coating formulation strategy now and may even more in the future. Most of today’s coating formulation design is heavily influenced by the need for high productivity in the coating process. New coater designs are making it possible for coating runnability to have less influence on the coating formulation design. Therefore, the coating formulator can place a higher premium on the quality of the paper produced and reduction of cost to get that quality. Likewise, new calendering technologies require new formulation designs that provide a more open coating structure, for instance. The coating structure influences blister resistance and ink set rate and thus print gloss and mottle in heat set offset printing. This review focuses on how coating formulation and calendering work together to meet the targets of a coated paper product. To achieve an optimum coating structure or to improve quality while lowering costs means that new engineered pigment technologies will play a larger role in coating formulation design.