Metallic Ink problems on Heidelberg press

Hi,

We recently aquired a UV CX Heidelberg 40". Every single time we try printing UV 877, or any metallic ink, we have major scum problems. We tried 3 different water solutions, different setting on press and different ink suppliers.

Anyone has some tips or lines we could follow to print those types of ink properly ?

Thank you very much

 

This problem is typical when printing metallic inks, when you try to match the pms book density with a single hit. When it comes to printing silver you will need to either deal with the scumming you describe or be willing to run it a little lighter than the PMS book. The other option would be to run 2 hits of metallic if you have an open printing unit. When it comes to printing all the other 800 metallic inks you could try to take a step up in the PMS book. For example.... if the job specs PMS 873 you could load the fountain with PMS 874 and just run it a little lighter. It will not be a direct match in hue, but you will be able to get a bit more weight while running a thinner and more manageable ink film thickness on your rollers. This thinner ink film will be a lot easier to keep clean. Most print buyers will be at a loss to tell the difference.

 

I haven't done any UV printing but I always found metallics run best with new a water form and metering roller. Is the press brand new?

 

What way are you running the unit 1:1 segregated or 1:2 intergrated it makes a huge difference with the way your roller setting are. Is it UV ink or conventional? Start with you rollers I prefer to run my water train 1:1 case being 1:2 with especially long runs emulsify your ink. Check your setting make sure your stripes are good my 106 it's 4 mm to the plate on white blue red and yellow. Next check the water train go to your factory setting or whatever you book says, but when it coming to setting your matte chrome and meter roller to water form don't be afraid to give it a little more it will not hurt and will help with smoothing.
If you are running conventional ink see if you can get IC compound ( ink corrective) this stuff works wonders on conventional metalics and varnishes. Either way start with you rollers metalic ink is terrible now not like 20 or 30 years ago. Hope this helps.

 

Hi sir .
Dealing with scumming issues when printing metallic inks, like UV 877, can be tricky. Ensure the press and blankets are clean and properly maintained. Adjust the ink-water balance carefully, as metallic inks can be sensitive. Experiment with reducing ink tack and increasing water settings to find the right balance. Consult with your ink supplier for recommendations on specific additives or adjustments for metallic inks on your press. It may take some trial and error, but fine-tuning these variables should help minimize scumming.
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