Alcohol-free printing

Heidelberg says its new ‘IPA-free Package’ makes it the only press manufacturer to offer a fully comprehensive solution for alcohol-free printing.  The package, which includes coordinated machine components, consultancy services, and Saphira consumables, will initially be available for the Speedmaster XL 105, SM/CD/CX 102, and XL 75 series for use with conventional inks.  Previously installed presses from these series can be upgraded. The solution will be available for other models and for UV print applications by Drupa 2012.

The reduction of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) has been a quest of printing companies for some time, and has been boosted by a growing awareness of how this substance impacts on the environment, human health, and the climate in the pressroom.  IPA plays an important role in offset printing - it reduces the surface tension of dampening solution, ensures better wetting of rollers and printing plates, and stabilizes the ink-water balance.  However, the alcohol evaporates completely into the pressroom and can lead to health complaints for printers such as headaches, dizziness, and eye irritation.  IPA is highly flammable and contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, which is also known as summer smog, and it is an extra cost factor.
 
‘We want the IPA-free Package to make it easier for our customers to switch to alcohol-free printing and to show that environmentally friendly solutions can also be cost-effective,’ explained Heidelberg’s Stephan Plenz, who added: ‘There is already very strong interest for this type of solution in Europe, but demand is also growing among customers in Asia and Africa.’