Where the Water Really Goes. II. Quantitative Evaluation of the Net Water Flow Rate Model for Lithography

The recently introduced net water flow rate model for predicting lithographic printing performance relative to ink/water interactions is quantitatively evaluated using operational results from over fifty controlled press tests and nine different inker/dampener configurations. Modeling predictions compare from good to excellent with measured materials utilization and operational acceptability. The net water flow rate approach is extended in this paper to show the true nature of efficiency in lithographic dampening. The concepts of dampening efficiency are used to explain why water-last and water-first dampening can be equally valid configurations. These principles will allow predicting operational effects caused by dampening for virtually all printing conditions. The net water flow rate approach is extended in this paper to show the true nature of efficiency in lithographic dampening. The concepts of dampening efficiency are used to explain why water-last and water-first dampening can be equally valid configurations. These principles will allow predicting operational effects caused by dampening for virtually all printing conditions.