Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Single Fluid Lithography

Single fluid lithography, an offset process that prints emulsion inks without the need for a separate dampening system, has been successfully demonstrated in full-scale laboratory experiments. This process eliminates the dampener and hence any printing problems associated with maintaining ink-water balance using independent inker and dampener controls. It does not require new plate and ink technologies as waterless lithography does, nor does it require special temperature controls. This paper will discuss the press design and emulsion ink stability requirements for single fluid lithography from theoretical and practical considerations. Print quality attributes (solid ink density, background density, mid-tone dot gain, and print contrast) of printed samples are presented to prove the feasibility of single fluid lithography.