The unsung heroes of the pressroom

Printers often choose pressroom products by looking at the price per kilogram. But pressroom chemistry represents les than one per cent of the total cost of a job, so any potential cost savings to be made here are quite inconsequential. However, the effects of these items on the performance of the printing operation as a whole is disproportionately large in that they can add considerably to costs if they cause problems, or can help minimise them through outstanding performance.

Cost-per-copy reduction

Skimping on pressroom chemistry can be a false economy, but the right choice of pressroom solutions brings benefits to the entire print operation, through lowered cost-per-copy, improved productivity and reduced environmental burden.

Founts

By using the right founts printers can benefit from fast start-ups with reduced paper waste. Founts from Fujifilm ensure a stable printing process with low ink settings and reduced ink feedback, reducing the need for blanket washing.

Washes

Fujifilm washes ensure fast cleaning of blankets and rollers, reducing downtime. Because the blankets are completely dry after cleaning, paper waste on restart is dramatically reduced.

Silicones

Fujifilm silicone emulsions ensure maximum protection so that presses can run at full speed without the risk of scratching the print or build-up of ink in the folder.

Glues

Fujifilm glues are formulated to make maintenance easy. They are easily remoisturised, so cleaning the gluing system is simplified. By adapting product performance to different applications, Fujifilm glues yield optimum results, while novel packaging reduces waste.

Spray powders

Fujifilm spray powders ensure the best possible protection with a minimum dosage.

Coatings

Coatings  can bring cost savings for the printer through rapid drying or curing, so that machine speed can be maximised. Fujifilm coatings have a wide application latitude, and can often be used for more than one application, reducing inventory. In particular, our Super Gloss water-based coating can replace expensive UV alternatives, while our specially designed ‘Safe Series’ for the packaging industry provides the highest possible protection at the lowest possible cost; our ink duct coatings can be used on presses without coating units to enable printers to offer added-value finishing.

Productivity

Another important factor in the printer’s business equation is the productivity of the press. The right choice of pressroom solutions can help maximise this.

Founts

Fujifilm founts help printers achieve very fast start-up, reduced paper waste, and by improving printing stability, can also help reduce general waste. Keeping the fount circulation system clean also minimises maintenance time. Fujifilm founts are formulated to run with low water settings to reduce fan-out and thanks to reduced ink feedback and reduced build-up on the blanket, they reduce the need for washing the press.

Washes

Fast and effective cleaning helps reduce press downtime. Fujifilm washes leave blankets dry after cleaning, leading very quickly to good copies on re-start. Because the wash emulsions are stable, blocking of the return pipes is minimised if wash is mixed with water. We also offer UV washes for unbaked plates, making it possible to wash the press while plates are still in the machine without the risk of damaging the image.

Silicones

Silicone emulsions are used to protect the paper web in the folder so that no scratches or smearing occur during the folding process. With Fujifilm silicone emulsions, there is no build-up of the waxes used to improve the rub resistance on the turn bars and folder, and the build-up of static charge in the finishing process is prevented by an anti-static agent in the silicone emulsions.

Glue

Fujifilm’s dispersion-based adhesives can also help optimise productivity. Thanks to an accurate and fine glue line, the application of the glue is easy to control. Fujifilm glue has a self-cleaning effect for easy maintenance. The setting time of the glue can be varied depending on the application, and high capacity packaging avoids the risk of glue drying, reducing the need to change the containers and minimising packaging waste. For packaging applications Fujifilm can offer an ideal combination with UV coatings to avoid the need for cut-outs.

Spray powders

Spray powder is used in sheet-fed applications to ensure ink drying without the risk of blocking, with the powder enabling optimum airflow between the sheets. Fujifilm’s Eco-spray technology ensures an even distribution of powder, leading to even stock. The vegetable-based spray powder avoids abrasion which could lead to dramatic reduction in gloss. The range of hydrophobic-coated powders provides optimum protection with water-based coatings, as these spray powders will not sink into the undried coating film.

Coatings

Fujifilm coatings give print buyers a wide range of choices for post-press treatment, coupled with optimum protection during the finishing process. Printers will benefit from fast film formation in combination with rapid drying or curing, with water-based or UV technology respectively.

Our coatings offer stable viscosity, resulting in a constant coating transfer and film thickness, helped by foam-free formulations. They offer a wide application window, allowing the printer to run the press at full speed.

Environmental advantages

Founts

Fujifilm’s S1 Series founts are ‘safe to use’ non skin-irritant products, which improve the working environment in the pressroom. Our founts for heatset and sheet-fed applications enable printers to run at the lowest possible IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) levels or even alcohol-free. This leads to an improved and healthier working environment and reduces the impact on the wider environment.

Washes

With our low-VOC (volatile organic compound) and VOC-free washes, we can help printers reduce their impact on the environment as well as benefiting from reduced odour in the pressroom. Our solvent-free technology offers a unique new environmentally-friendly option with no compromise for the printer.

Spray powders

Fujifilm’s ECOspray technology drastically reduces micro dust, improving the press operator’s working environment. Additionally the potential for dust explosions is reduced and follows the latest BG (Berufsgenossenschaft) regulations, improving safety.

Coatings

The Fujifilm Super Gloss Series includes water-based coatings which offer a UV-like gloss. For packaging applications we have a range of low-migration coatings (both water-based and UV) which meet the rigorous demands of the food industry.

Troubleshooting

The performance of pressroom products can have an impact throughout the entire print process, and can affect that of other pressroom chemicals:

Founts

Using the wrong fount or having no control of the fount management can lead to drying problems with the coating. During printing the fount is emulsified into the ink and needs to evaporate during the drying process. At this point, the coating covers the print so it is important to ensure that these evaporating components do not dissolve the dried coating film.

Spray powders

The use of hydrophilic starch-based spray powders will cause blocking of water-based coatings in the stack. To avoid scratching and reduced gloss when using UV or water-based coatings, it is important to use vegetable starch-based spray powders instead of mineral-based ones. Fujifilm’s starch-based powders are available with a hydrophobic coating to avoid both blocking and abrasion.

Silicones

Using silicone emulsions can cause problems with subsequent gluing. The glue may not stick to an oily surface and cut-outs may be needed. The correct combination of glue and silicone emulsion will avoid this problem.

Coatings

Coatings – especially UV varieties – can cause similar problem to silicone emulsions, in which the coating can reduce the ‘glueability’ of a print. The right pairing of glue and coating reduces the need for cutting-out.

Dampening roller cleaners

Printers often use standard washes to clean ink off the dampening rollers. This does clean the roller, but it leaves a hydrophobic surface, which causes increased ink build-up because of the resultant oleophilic (oil-attracting) character of the roller. A correctly-formulated dampening roller wash will prevent this.

Coating unit cleaners

Using a standard roller and blanket wash will increase ink build-up on the coating blanket due to its inherently oily character. This can be avoided by using a special coating unit wash, reducing maintenance.

Washes

By using a specially designed Water Leveller, the performance of a wash can be boosted. Lowered surface tension means smaller water droplets are created, the water film is thinner and its emulsification with the wash is quicker, giving better cleaning of the blanket and better drying after cleaning, resulting in less paper waste on re-start.

Auxiliaries

Auxiliaries support the main pressroom chemical groups; using the correct auxiliaries is a simple way to improve the performance of the main product, whether they are washes, founts, coatings, glues or silicones.

For the full version of this Better Business Guide contact your usual Fujifilm representative or email marketing.fgs(at)fuji.co(dot)uk