Level-of-Curing Control Area for Printing Ink Drying Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the curing level of printing inks and varnishes in printing processes are inadequate, as they fail to provide a reliable assessment of complete drying for all ink combinations, often relying on complex global or local measurements that do not accurately represent the specific state of printed ink combinations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a level-of-curing control area, produced by overprinting printing inks and varnishes on the printing material, allowing for the determination of curing levels through a single measuring area, specifically focusing on the lowest ink or varnish layer, using an IR measuring instrument to assess the level of curing, which can then indicate the overall curing state of the printed image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex global or local measurements are used to determine curing level, then measurement coverage is improved, but measurement complexity and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential information needed for curing assessment by measuring only the lowest ink layer in a controlled test area, rather than attempting to measure all ink combinations across the entire printing surface. This selective extraction of critical data simplifies the measurement system while maintaining reliable assessment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality measurement by focusing the measurement on a specific local area (test area with controlled ink combinations) rather than attempting global measurement. The test area is specifically designed to represent the most critical curing conditions, allowing localized measurement to infer overall curing status.
2Reliability
If multiple ink combinations are measured to assess complete drying, then assessment accuracy is improved, but measurement time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the critical measurement needed for reliability assessment - the lowest ink layer in the test area - rather than measuring all ink combinations. This selective extraction maintains assessment accuracy while significantly reducing measurement time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-configuring the test area with controlled ink combinations before measurement. This preliminary setup ensures that the measurement area represents the most critical curing conditions, allowing a single quick measurement to assess overall curing status without needing to measure all ink combinations.
3Measurement precision
If local parameters are measured to determine curing state, then specific ink layer information is improved, but global curing state assessment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a test area that serves multiple functions: it provides controlled local conditions for precise measurement while simultaneously representing the global curing state. The test area is designed with specific ink combinations that mirror the overall printing process, allowing local measurement to infer global status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses local quality by creating a controlled test area with specific ink combinations that represent the most critical curing conditions. By measuring this localized area with known characteristics, the system can infer the global curing state while maintaining precise local measurement capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the determination of curing levels, providing a more reliable assessment of the entire printed image's curing state by measuring the lowest ink or varnish layer, ensuring optimal drying conditions and improving print quality by adjusting dryer settings accordingly.
Implementation Method 1
using an IR measuring instrument to assess the level of curing
Implementation Method 2
curing or drying is understood, in particular, to mean the polymerization of the UV inks or varnishes
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and print process control strip determine a curing level of printing inks on printing material. Conventional measuring areas of a print process control strip are always formed by tonal value combinations of individual, reliably thoroughly dried, printing inks, in particular when using intermediate dryers. Measuring the measuring areas furnishes no more accurate information with regard to the curing level of ink combinations in the actual printed image which differ from the combinations of the measuring areas of the print process control strip. A level-of-curing control area is provided, which is formed by overprinting preferably at least four printing inks, in each case in full tone, to obtain statements relating to the curing level of the printing inks with the print process control strip. Measuring the level-of-curing control area provides information about the curing level of all printing ink combinations in the printed image.