Feeder

1.SMart paper can be printed at up to 8,000 impressions per hour depending on the type of press used.

2. Air velocity applied to SMart Paper should be at least 10% stronger than regular paper.

3. If difficulty occurs in feeding the paper, this problem may be resolved by increasing the air velocity on the sheets or reducing the number of sheets per pile.

4. SMart Paper can be affected by static electricity. It is recommended that static elminators be used and that the relative humidity of the press room be maintained at 50% or above.

Printing unit

1. Integrated colour removal (i.c.r ) or gray component replacement (g.c.r.) in the colour separation process can reduce ink consumption and set off.

2. It is recommended that SMart Paper is printed using scuff resistant (hard drying ) offset inks. Consult your ink supplier for optimum results. Expensive synthetic types of ink are unnecessary in most cases. Obviously, if the job must survive outdoors then light fast inks are required to minimise fade.

Dampening solution

1. A 10% alcohol fountain solution is recommended. Ph level should be maintained around 4.5 - 6 and temperature of solution around 15ºC.

2. Since SMart Paper has low water absorption properties, poor ink transfer may be the result if there is excess water on the plate surface. Excess water on the plate may also reduce the ink's concentration in multicolour printing processess, causing ink emulsion, and will require longer time for drying.

Delivery unit

1. Use a fine powder for spraying. Generally, spray 30% more than for normal celulose paper. Actual applied quantity is based upon the printing conditions and the amount of ink coverage. Reduce the amount of spray powder if the job is to be backed up.

2. Apply the least wheel pressure on the printed SMart Paper during delivery.

Drying

1. Since SMart Paper has low absorption for ink, it is necessary to place the printed paper on the rack for drying to avoid set off.

2. The pile height for SMart Paper on the rack is recommended not to exceed 200mm.

3. When the pile of the paper reaches the allowed height on a rack, stop and use a new rack.

4. Make sure that there is no impact on the pile of the printed paper until the ink is dry.

5. Approximate drying times are :two colours 4 - 6 hours, four colours 6 - 8 hours.

6. Cutting & finishing should be left until ink is dry. This depends on the amount of ink carried on the job and the kind of press used.

7. Infrared drying can effectively reduce the drying time, but room temperature also significantly affects the drying time.

8. Two thirds of the drying time can be saved if alcohol dampening systems are used in conjuction with infrared drying.

9. If using infrared drying, adjustments will be necessary to avoid overheating the SMart Paper and causing deformation of the sheet.

The above instructions are a guide only and testing prior to running the job is always recommended. Please contact Stockman Paper Merchants if further details are required.

Ink Selection

Prior to printing, the printer must determine the level of light fastness required by the end user then consult the ink manufacturers to determine the most suitable quality from their range. Many Ink manufacturers have especially formulated inks containing pigments that are more highly resistant to breakdown under UV light.

Unlike cellulose paper, non-absorptive substrates prevent penetration of ink film and excess water transferred off the printing plate.
Due to this characteristic, it is strongly recommended that your first ink choice be one containing as close to 100% vegetable oil as possible. Colortron have an ink range called Inor which has proven performance. Talk to your preferred ink company to get a recommendation.

These inks are designed specifically for synthetics and allow the printer to apply a more solid ink film to the surface and will dry entirely by oxidation leaving no excess oil to hinder drying. These inks will provide a higher level of adhesion and scuff resistance. They are more expensive but are the better performer. It is recommended thats test be performed prior to printing.

Preparation

Ensure that the stock is only unwrapped prior to printing, as this will reduce the incidence of creasing, accidental damage and subsequent feeding problems. For applications requiring single side printing, it is recommended to nominate the topside as the main printing surface. Before feeding, apply blown air or fan sheets to allow air to separate the sheets. Also, maintain relative humidity above 50%.

Fountain Solution

One of the keys to successful printing involves the combination of correct ink selection and fountain solution. Discuss your production requirements with the known quality suppliers. Choice of fountain solution does influence drying. It needs to be free of non-volatile wetting agents that can hinder the drying process when trapped in the ink film. Aim for PH values to be buffered at around 5.0 with the temperature between 9 - 15 C. Siccodamp from Sicpa and Hydrofix from Ferag, Hurst Wassertop 2400 from Colortron are known good performers.

Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol at between 8 - 10 % can be added to the fountain solution. Alcohol lessens the amount of water necessary to wet the plate and evaporates rapidly leaving the ink free of excess water. This reduces the possibility of over emulsification of the ink, which hinders drying time. Too much can work against ink performance, accurate testing is important.

Dryers

As these inks dry by oxidation, we recommend the use of an oxygen liberating drier such as Grafo. Upon contact with water, this drier allows oxygen into the stack thus increasing setting time. It is important to request the Grafo type and not any other dryers that are commonly used. Discuss % with your Ink Manufacturer.

Spray Powders

Spray powders are also beneficial in promoting oxygen between the layers of printed sheets thus improving drying times. Silicon is preferred to starch. A coarse spray powder is best allowing more air in the stack; however this needs to be balanced with the needs of the job.

Infrared

The application of infrared drying will assist ink setting.
To prevent the possibility of blocking, it is important not to allow stack temperatures to exceed 40 C. A simple temperature probe will suffice in monitoring this.

Stacks

Print small stacks only not exceeding 200mm.