13.1 GENERAL

The U.S. Bureau of Census figures (Printing Ink Handbook, 1976) indicate that there are approximately 200 ink companies producing inks in about 400 plants throughout the United States.

The National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) has been the only national trade association for the printing ink industry since its founding in 1914.

• National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers

• 777 Terrace Avenue

• Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604-3110

• (201) 288-8454

It consists of printing ink manufacturers engaged in the production and sale of printing inks on the open market in the United States.

The Institute of Paper Science & Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, is the premier facility in the United States for paper research.

• Institute of Paper Science & Technology 500 10th Street

• Atlanta, GA 30318 (404)853-9500

• Fax: (404) 853-9510

The wide variety of printing applications within the graphic arts requires different types of printing inks suited to the various printing processes, substrates, and end uses as discussed in the Printing Ink Handbook (1976).

Some of the many end uses, substrates, and performance needs are listed in Table 13.1. The major printing processes and corresponding inks are:

1. Letterpress

   • Heatset

   • Quickset

   • Rotary

   • High-gloss

   • Moisture-set

   • Water-washable

   • News

2. Lithographic

   • Web offset

   • Sheet offset

   • Metal decorating

3. Flexographic

   • Solvent

   • Water

4. Gravure

   • Type A

   • Type B

   • Type C

   • Type T

5. Other printing processes

   • Screen printing

   • Electrostatic

   • Metallic

   • Water color

   • Cold-set

   • Magnetic

   • Optical

Practical, but important factors to consider are:

1. Color or colors to be reproduced

2. Printing process to be used

3. Substrate to be printed