Digital BW, The Print

pr_roark wrote:

>> HP ink has quite a "unique" odor, due to the co-solvents and 
>> glycols they employ.
> 
> It smells like latex paint to me.

The HP Latex pages describe the cosolvents (next to water) 
of that outdoor ink type as being very similar to the ones 
used in the "normal" aqueous inks. They solve the issue of 
burning in of ink in the thermal heads as well which allows 
far more ink to be squirted in time by a nozzle than used to 
be possible in the past. Up to 32 liters now. Latex is a 
term used for a wide variety of (co)polymers so it doesn't 
tell much of what is used in the printers but there could be 
more than the cosolvents that are shared between the printer 
models.

http://www.signweb.com/index.php/channel/2/id/2879

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press_kits/2008/predrupa/wp_HPLatexInks.pdf

there must be an MSDS for the Latex inks.

I have some samples of the Latex prints on vinyl, paper etc. 
The 120 picoliter droplet doesn't deliver the same detail we 
are used to but it is excellent for the sign market the 
printers are intended for. I wonder however whether a 
varnish-gloss enhancer could be based on the same technology 
and used on the prints we make.
The transparency may be lower though but the surface will be 
a lot tougher.

-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst


|  Dinkla Grafische Techniek  |
|     www.pigment-print.com    |
|             ( unvollendet )            |