What is the use of water softener in printing industry?
In printing, the hardness of the water has a significant impact on both the printing process and the finished output. Water hardness values that are too low or too high, carbonates that cause problems, fluctuating water hardness values, and a high chloride content will all disrupt the stability. High calcium monorails are known to interact with the calcium carbonate in the paper, causing the blankets to milk or whiten.
Today's printers need softening, cleansing, and disinfecting of their water before printing.Lithography is based on the idea that oil and water do not mix. Both oleophilic and hydrophobic image areas on the printingsurface, i.e. plate, are required. The non-image portions of the plate must also be oleophobic and hydrophilic.
In offset printing, the dampeningsolution's principal job is to oleofobize the freesurfaces on the printing plate. During printing, the press operator works to establish the best ink-water balance possible. In order to emulsify water in ink, the ink should have a water accepting capability of roughly 15%. Non-image portions on the plate are kept hydrophilic and oleophobic by the fountain solution. Other than water, its constituents serve a variety of purposes.
Water and Water Hardness:
Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen, but depending on where it comes from, tap water has varying characteristics and degrees of cleanliness when it reaches the printer (groundwater or other). Even in clean rainwater, soluble gases and debris particles occur. Groundwater is found beneath the earth's surface. The makeup of the water is determined by the geological layers of the soil through which it seeps. As water penetrates through these layers, soluble salts and huge volumes of carbon dioxide are absorbed. The way water dissolves is determined by the type of stone it goes through. Limestone, for example, is insoluble in pure water, but when carbon dioxide is added, it transforms into the soluble calcium hydrogen carbonate.
The influence of total hardness on Printing:
It is the first parameter to be managed because it accounts for 85 percent of the tank's water. Changes in the quality of spring water will have a direct impact on offset printing quality. In terms of tank water parameters, the most essential characteristic in offset printing is the water hardness.The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts in the water determines its hardness.
Ca(HCO3)2 and Mg(HCO3)2 provide transient or carbonate hardness, while calcium and magnesium chloride, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, and silicates provide permanent or continuous hardness. The term "entire hardness" refers to the combination of these two hardness qualities.
For offset printing, the ideal hardness varies from 8 to 12 DH. When using water with a high total hardness, tiny grains on the ink rollers surface become level and glossy over time as calcium and magnesium ions in the water impede them. As a result, they keep steady, homogeneous ink from settling on the roller surface.
There are two approaches that can be used to address these issues:
(1) Softened or deionized tap water can be utilised;
(2) Special solution additives can be employed to avoid the composition of calcium salts from being dissolved insufficiently.
The best solution to get perfect water for printing purpose is to install a water softener and to do so just contact Netsol water solutions and pour the benefits directly to your business.
