Manroland Ag

Magdalena-Elena Casagrande

Thomas Walther

In a method for determining the degree of hardening or drying of one or more printed ink and/or coating film(s) on a substrate, for instance, paper, cardboard, plastic film or composite materials, a faster and more efficient measuring method can be found that furthermore supplies secure and easily interpreted results. The method is to be used in the mass production printing processes comprising intaglio printing, flexographic printing, screen printing or offset printing. The degree of hardening or drying is determined indirectly by way of the change in the mechanical and/or viscoelastic properties of the ink and/or coating films on the substrate that result from the hardening or drying process. The detection of acoustic waves by means of a piezoelectric sensor is used as the measuring method.

Nondestructive methods for testing the degree of hardening or drying of inks and coatings

For more efficient and energy-saving drying of ink and/or coating films in printing machines, the drying or hardening process must be better monitored. Therefore a method is proposed for determining the degree of hardening of one or more printed ink and/or coating films on a substrate that was coated in an intaglio, flexographic or offset printing process. The degree of hardening or drying due to the hardening or drying process is determined indirectly via the change of mechanical and/or viscoelastic properties of the ink and/or coating films on the substrate. An ultrasound measurement is used for this purpose.

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Munich, Germany

Magdalena-Elena Casagrande