UV Troubleshooting Guide

► Adhesion ► Ink/Water Balance ► Roller Stripping

► Backing ► Laser Printing, Failures ► Rubbing/Scratching/Scuffing

► Curing ► Misting ► Scumming

► Dot Sharpness ► Picking ► Set Off

► Emulsification ► Piling ► Slurring

► Ghosting ► Plate Blinding ► Tinting/Toning

► Hickies ► Plate Wear ► Wet Trapping

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink not fully cured. 1. Make sure ink is fully cured – emulsified ink retards
cure.
2. Ink not formulated for the substrate. 2. Consult ink manufacturer.

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Backing
Problem: Ink backing away from fountain roller resulting in colour
variation.

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink too thixotropic. 1. Consult ink manufacture.
2. Ink body too short. 2. Formulate ink for better flow.
3. Not using a fountain agitator. 3. Install fountain agitator.

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Curing
Problem: Ink film remains tacky or wet to the touch.

Cause: Solution:
1. Lamps not up to power. 1. Let lamps warm up.
2. Lamp reflectors are dirty. 2. Clean reflectors.
3. Lamps not on. 3. Make sure lamps are on.
4. Lamp bulb past useful life. 4. Replace lamp.
5. Shutters on lamp not open. 5. Consult lamp manufacturer.
6. Incorrect power going to lamp causing 6. Consult lamp manufacturer.
high or low lamp temperature.
7. Too much water being run, ink is 7. Reduce water.
emulsifying.
8. Excessive ink film thickness. 8. Reduce ink film or have ink made stronger.
9. Not enough photoinitiator or wrong 9. Consult ink manufacturer.
type in ink.
10. Ink contaminated. 10. Remove ink and replace with fresh ink.
11. Excessive speed of press for type of 11. Slow down press or change to a different type of ink.
ink being used.

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Dot Sharpness
Problem: Halftone dots increase in size causing printed screens and
reverses to be plugged and appear muddy.

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink body too long and soft. 1. Consult ink manufacturer.
2. Ink emulsified. 2. See Emulsification.
3. Improper ink water balance or fountain 3. Adjust water balance and/or conductivity/pH.
solution.
4. Poorly ground ink. 4. See Piling.
5. Plate incorrectly desensitized or 5. Remake plate.
processed.
6. Insufficient dampening solution being 6. Increase dampening solution.
run.
7. Too much, form roller to plate, plate to 7. Reset pressures to press specifications.
blanket or blanket to substrate,
pressure.
8. Running too much ink. 8. Reduce ink film or have ink made stronger.

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Emulsification
Problem: Ink picks up and hold on to too much water.

Cause: Solution:
1. Fountain solution and/or conductivity 1. Adjust for correct conductivity/pH for fountain solution
pH not correct or balanced. being used.
2. Improperly set rollers. 2. Reset rollers.
3. Improperly formulated ink. 3. Consult ink manufacturer.
4. Running too much water. 4. Cut back on the water.

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Ghosting
Problem: A printed area from another part of the form appears in
large solids or dense halftones.

Cause: Solution:
1. Poor layout. 1. Adjust layout.
2. Ink film too thin. 2. Extend ink.
3. Ink too transparent. 3. Make opaque.
4. Too much water being run. 4. Cut back on the water.

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Hickies
Problem: Blank area with a dot in the middle, generally caused by
a particle.

Cause: Solution:
1. Undispersed particle in the ink. 1. Return to ink manufacturer.
2. Foreign particle in ink. 2. Inspect press area for cleanliness.
3. Roller particles. 3. Replace rollers.
4. Prematurely cured ink in can. 4. Return to ink manufacturer.
5. Bad paper. 5. See Picking.

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Ink/Water Balance
Problem: Ink will not lithograph well and afford good print quality
without frequent adjustments on press.

Cause: Solution:
1. Excessive fountain solution. 1. Reduce dampener setting.
2. Fountain solution too strong. 2. Adjust fountain solution.
3. Fountain solution too weak. 3. Adjust fountain solution.
4. Improper dampener roller settings. 4. Reset rollers.
5. Improper ink form roller settings. 5. Reset rollers.
6. Weak ink. 6. Consult ink manufacturer.
7. Ink emulsification. 7. Consult ink manufacturer.

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Laser Printing, Failures
Problem: a) The ink is picked up by the fuser roller.
b) The cured ink will not accept laser imprinting.

Cause: Solution:
1. a) The ink is not fully cured. 1. a) Modify the ink.
2. a) The ink film thickness is too high. 2. a) Print at lower thickness.
3. a) The fuser roller is too hot. 3. a) Run the roller at correct temperature.

1. b) The ink surface is too hard. 1. b) Modify the ink.

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Misting
Problem: Ink is being ejected from rollers in the form of a fine mist.

Cause: Solution:
1. Too much ink being run. 1. Make ink stronger.
2. Rollers are not set correctly. 2. Check settings and reset.
3. Ink is emulsified. 3. See Emulsification.
4. Ink too long in body. 4. Consult ink manufacturer.

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Picking
Problem: Lifting off of coating from coated stock and pulling paper
fibres from uncoated stock.

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink too tacky for stock being run 1. Reduce ink.
and/or speed of press.
2. Excessive printing pressure. 2. Reset pressures.
3. Bad paper. 3. Consult paper manufacturer.
4. Paper surface trash, coating dust, 4. Use clean paper.
slitter or trimmer dust.
5. Blanket too tacky. 5. Change blanket.

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Piling
Problem: A build up of paper coating, lint or ink on the plate, blanket
or rollers (See Picking for paper related problems).

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink poorly ground. 1. Re-grind ink.
2. Improperly packed cylinders. 2. Repack press to specifications.
3. Rollers not set correctly. 3. Reset rollers.
4. Lamps flashing blanket causing ink 4. Consult lamp manufacturer.
to slowly cure.
5. Ink is emulsified. 5. See Emulsification.
6. Insufficient transfer of ink. 6. Reduce ink, consult ink manufacturer.

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Plate Blinding
Problem: Part or all of image does not take ink, resulting in loss
of image.

Cause: Solution:
1. Abrasive particles in ink wearing 1. Regrind or reformulate ink.
image.
2. Ink and dampening form rollers too 2. Check roller durometer and reset.
hard or not set correctly.
3. Excessive plate to blanket pressure. 3. Reset pressures to manufacturers specifications.
4. Excessive amount of lint being 4. See Picking.
deposited on plate.
5. Fountain solution to low in pH (i.e. 5. Adjust fountain solution.
too acidic). 6. Change fountain solution.
6. Too much gum in fountain solution.
7. Plate cleaners or scratch removers 7. Remake plate.
dried on plate.
8. Detergents in fountain solution. 8. Change fountain solution.
9. Plate not completely developed or 9. Remake plate.
gum remains on image areas.

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Plate Wear
Problem: Gradual wearing away of the plate causing image loss.

Cause: Solution:
1. Improperly processed plates. 1. Remake plates.
2. Ink and dampening form rollers too 2. Check roller durometer and reset.
hard or not set correctly.
3. Fountain solution too acidic. 3. Adjust fountain solution.
4. Improperly packed plate and blanket 4. Reset pressures to manufacturers specifications.
cylinders.
5. Plates not suitable for run length. 5. Remake plate.
6. Poorly ground ink. 6. Re-grind ink.
7. Excessive linting from stock. 7. See Picking.

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Roller Stripping
Problem: Rollers do not accept ink.

Cause: Solution:
1. Fountain solution too acidic. 1. Adjust fountain solution.
2. Excessive gum in fountain solution. 2. Adjust fountain solution.
3. Too much water being run. 3. Cut back on water.
4. Glazed form rollers. 4. De-glaze or replace rollers.
5. Metal vibrators have become 5. Desensitize rollers.
sensitized.
6. Ink too strong. 6. Extend ink.
7. Ink too water resistant. 7. Consult ink manufacturer.

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Rubbing/Scuffing/Scratching
Problem: Printed ink film appears dry but exhibits unsatisfactory
rub and/or scratch resistance when abraded.

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink not cured. 1. See Curing.
2. Ink not formulated for rub/scratch. 2. Consult ink manufacturer.
3. Ink emulsified causing insufficient 3. See Emulsification.
cure.
4. Curing system problem. 4. See Curing.
5. Ink not formulated for the substrate. 5. Consult ink manufacturer.
6. Too much ink being run. 6. Reduce level of ink.

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Scumming
Problem: The non image area of the plate accepts ink in random
areas, usually can not be removed with a damp sponge.

Cause: Solution:
1. Glazed blanket or rollers. 1. Change blanket or deglaze rollers.
2. Excessive printing pressure. 2. Adjust pressure to specifications.
3. Plate improperly exposed or 3. Remake plate.
developed.
4. Plate exposed to light after being 4. Remake plate.
allowed to dry.
5. Plate improperly gummed between 5. Remake plate.
stops or when made.
6. Fountain solution pH/conductivity out 6. Adjust fountain solution.
of balance.
7. Poorly adjusted or worn dampening 7. Adjust or replace rollers.
rollers.
8. Ink too soft. 8. Consult ink manufacturer.
9. Overheated ink rollers. 9. Check settings.

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Set Off
Problem: Ink transfers from one side of the substrate to the other in
a roll of stack.

Cause: Solution:
1. Ink not fully cured 1. See Curing.

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Slurring
Problem: Dots or image appear elongated or smeared.

Cause: Solution:
1. Running too much ink made. 1. Cut back on ink or have ink stronger.
2. Excessive play in gears of plate and 2. Consult press manufacturer.
blanket cylinders.
3. Loose blanket. 3. Tighten blanket.
4. Press not packed correctly resulting 4. Repack press to specifications.
in different speeds between
cylinders.
5. Too much pressure between plate 5. Repack press to specifications.
and blanket cylinders.

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Tinting/Toning
Problem: The non image area of the plate accepts ink in random
areas, usually can be removed with a damp sponge.

Cause: Solution:
1. Too much pressure between plate 1. Repack press to specifications.
and blanket cylinders.
2. Improper ink water balance. 2. See Ink/Water Balance.
3. Fountain solution pH/conductivity out 3. Adjust pH/conductivity.
of balance.
4. Settings or durometers of ink or 4. Adjust or replace rollers.
dampener form rollers not correct.
5. Plate improperly exposed or 5. Remake plate.
developed.
6. Ink not sufficiently water resistant, 6. See Emulsification.
emulsifying.
7. Paper coating contaminating ink 7. See Picking or Piling.
train.
8. Prolonged use of detergent, wash up 8. Discontinue use of detergents.
solution.

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Wet Trapping
Problem: Can not achieve good coverage of one ink printing on top
of another when not using the interstation lamps.

Cause: Solution:
1. Tack of ink out of sequence. 1. Consult ink manufacturer.
2. Strength of inks improperly 2. Consult ink manufacturer.
balanced.
3. Inks contain additives that prevent 3. Consult ink manufacturer.
succeeding ink from adhering.
4. Improper ink water balance. 4. See Ink/Water Balance.
5. Poor ink release from blanket. 5. Change blanket or consult ink manufacturer.

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