Ink requirements
Good ink can be recognized by its properties. However, not only these play a role, it also depends on the print medium used.
Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that there is a balanced relationship between the ink used and the print medium, i.e. even the most expensive ink cannot show its strengths on a poor substrate, so that a poor result will be achieved.
High print quality is characterized by high edge definition, low bleeding, high optical density and well-matched color spaces.
In order to develop a good ink, the ink manufacturer must also know certain technical characteristics of the printer, especially the printhead. The printhead structure and dispersion method affect ink flow, clogging, corrosion and sprayability.
In order to achieve a good printout, attention must also be paid to the print medium. It influences the printout quality in the areas of sharpness, penetration rate, drying time, bleeding, color space, optical density, water resistance and light fastness.
Tinten werden nach folgenden Eigenschaften bewertet
Physical properties:
- Viscosity
- Surface tension
- pH value
- Conductivity
- Density
- Particle size
- Foam formation
Print properties:
- Print quality:
- Bleed Control
- Edge sharpness
- Optical density
- Color scale
- Penetration rate and drying speed
- Fast fixation on various print media
- Water resistance
- Light fastness
- Abrasion resistance
Resistance:
- No blocking ("non-clogging")
- Material compatibility
- Storage stability
- Spray stability
- Printhead resistance
Health and safety:
- Non-toxic
- Non flammable
- Odorless