Waterless printing

Colorpak has recently made a significant investment in printing technology with the conversion to waterless printing on a number of their presses. There are clear advantages in waterless printing and the process is well proven, however, at present Colorpak is one of only a small number of printers, and the only folding carton manufacturer in Australia with waterless printing capabilities. To help remain at the forefront of waterless printing technology Colorpak are members of the Waterless Printing Association.

What is waterless printing?

A waterless press works in a similar way to conventional offset press with plates and ink, however, instead of the dampening solution and water that is usually required, in a waterless press the inks are separated mechanically using a silicone coated printing plate. The plate uses CTP technology. The ink is repelled by the silicone and leaves ink to be attracted to the image area.

What are the benefits?

• Eliminating the dampening solution means there is no need for water to be used in the printing process
• The absence of a dampening solution also significantly reduces the release of chemicals into the environment
• This also leads to greater colour consistency throughout the printing process, higher ink densities, greater contrasts and more vibrant colours
• There is less set up time in getting the colour correct, which leads to a reduction in paper wastage.