Designed to replace ink fountains and provide savings on ink, paper, and maintenance.
QuadTech LogoWeb offset printers have a new digital ink metering system available to them courtesy of QuadTech. The company which supplies a wide range of colour, register, and inspection controls for the web offset market has said the new digital system has been designed to replace conventional ink fountains with computer-controlled ink injectors.
The aim is to provide much more accurate density control across the printed image. To achieve this the new digital system meters the precise volume of ink required in each control zone consistently, at all press speeds. The result says QuadTech is greatly improved ink density. Another bonus is that the system should eliminate the costs of contamination from open fountains—resulting in significant and immediate savings in ink, paper, and maintenance.
QuadTech pointed out that digital volume metering eliminates the need for setting the fountain blade assembly and pickup roller. A key component of the system is that the ink volume delivered by each of the injector keys is computer controlled eliminating the need to rely on gap settings for accuracy. This in theory should improve reliability, lower maintenance costs, and produce a more consistent image density through the entire print run—contrary to the fluctuations which are characteristic of open fountains. Because nothing is touching the fountain ball, the costs of recalibrating and replacing worn ink keys and fountain balls are removed.
Karl Fritchen, President of QuadTech said: “Open fountain ink trains have been the standard method of ink delivery for decades. Now computer-controlled ink injection is providing much more precise density control at all press speeds. This technology enables printers to offer their customers greater print quality and consistency, while at the same time reducing costs.”
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