Transfer and Setting of Water-Based Ink. Part I: A New Flexographic Proof Press

A single-sheet proof press for printing paper samples by water-based flexography has been developed. The repeatability of measurements from the press are within accepted limits for other proof presses. Print densities from this press are in good agreement with data from a laboratory web press. The increase in flexo print density with ink transfer to paper is explained by the same exponential model used for oil-based inks. The increase in print density with increasing halftone dot coverage correlated with the print density of the corresponding solid prints, suggesting at the same paper factors control solid density and halftone density. This may be related to the concentration of fine paper fibers in the sheet surface. The increase in flexo print density with ink transfer to paper is explained by the same exponential model used for oil-based inks. The increase in print density with increasing halftone dot coverage correlated with the print density of the corresponding solid prints, suggesting at the same paper factors control solid density and halftone density. This may be related to the concentration of fine paper fibers in the sheet surface.