Offset Ink For Packaging Printing

Adhesion and Durability: They must withstand transportation friction, temperature fluctuations (e.g., refrigerated food), and moisture. For example, UV inks offer over 90% adhesion on PET film, while solvent-based inks resist peeling on metal.

Color Consistency: Inks certified to ISO 12647-2 ensure batch-to-batch color consistency, crucial for brand identity (e.g., Coca-Cola Red).

Drying Speed: LED-UV inks cure in 0.2 seconds, supporting production speeds of 500+ sheets per minute; soy-based inks dry by absorption, taking 1–2 hours to dry, making them suitable for slow-speed cardboard printing.

Food Contact Safety: Inks for packaging that comes in direct contact with food (e.g., candy wrappers).

Buyer's Guide

Substrate Compatibility: Test adhesion on specific materials (e.g., recycled cardboard may require additional adhesive).

Production Speed: For high-volume lines (10k+ per day), LED-UV inks are preferred; for smaller batches, soy-based inks are an option.

Sustainability: Choose bio-based inks with carbon neutral certification (e.g., EU Ecolabel) to align with your brand's ESG commitments.

Total Cost of Ownership: UV inks have a higher initial investment, but their fast drying time can reduce waste (e.g., smeared product) by 30% or more, making them superior to solvent-based inks.

When bulk purchasing, how to ensure color consistency across ink batches?​

Control via three steps: ① Require ISO 12647-2 certification, ensuring ΔE (color difference) ≤2.0 (imperceptible to the naked eye); ② Include "color sample clauses" in contracts, with each batch accompanied by standard swatches verified via spectrophotometer; ③ Choose suppliers with Color Management Systems (CMS), using computerized matching to keep batch ΔE ≤1.5 (far below the industry average of ΔE ≤3.0).

How to choose the right ink for a specific substrate?

1. Identify the Core Properties of the Substrate

Absorbency: For highly absorbent substrates (newsprint, kraft paper, etc.), choose fiber-penetrating, drying inks (soy-based, cold-set). For low/non-absorbent substrates (plastic film, metal foil, etc.), use UV/LED-UV or solvent-based inks.

Surface Properties: For smooth surfaces (mirror-coated paper, aluminum foil), high-adhesion UV inks (containing polar resins) or two-component solvent-based inks are required. For rough surfaces (corrugated paper, recycled cardboard), solvent-based or heat-set inks are preferred.

2. Match the Application

For food contact applications: Choose low-migration inks (soy-based, water-based, etc.) certified to FDA 21 CFR 175.300 or EU 10/2011.

For outdoor/weatherproof applications: For plastic/metal substrates, use UV-resistant and anti-aging inks (solvent-based inks with light stabilizers or outdoor-specific UV inks).

For high-frequency friction applications: Choose UV inks with a hardness of 3H or higher or cross-linked solvent-based inks. 3. Combining Equipment and Processes
Drying Equipment: Solvent-based inks are used for traditional offset printing presses (without UV equipment); LED-UV systems prioritize LED-UV inks (suitable for high-speed production).
Printing Precision: UV inks are used for high-precision graphics on smooth substrates; heat-set inks are used for large text blocks on rough substrates.
4. Testing and Verification
Sample Testing: Adhesion (3M tape peeling ≤ 5%), drying speed, and resistance (water/alcohol resistance).
Compatibility Testing: Substrate pretreatment (laminate, varnish) requires confirmation of ink and coating compatibility (e.g., low-solvent LED-UV inks for laminated paper).

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