Supplies
Ink Set
A practical guide to ink sets on South African packaging floors, written for teams already running flexo jobs.
How Ink Set works in a real packaging week
Our Ink Set page covers flexo ink supply for packaging work across common South African press conditions. It helps teams think through colour, drying behaviour and suitability for the substrates moving through the plant.
Start by listing the substrate, anilox volumes and drying method on the press. Solvent, water based and UV systems behave differently in Gauteng winter air than they do in Durban humidity, so the ink set has to match the job conditions. On wide web and narrow web packaging work, viscosity control and rub resistance matter as much as shade.
Pull a wet drawdown and a retained sample before the first drums are tipped into circulation. That record helps the next shift check shade drift, pH movement or a change in drying after a stop. On longer packaging runs, one labelled swatch can prevent repeated adjustments at the ink kitchen.
What sits in an ink set
An ink set normally covers the process colours, any spot colours, reducers, varnish and the additives needed for the chosen press setup. For packaging plants, the useful part is not the count of cans but the control points for transfer, adhesion and drying on the actual substrate. The set should be named against the SKU, substrate family and press configuration so the next repeat run starts with the right material.
Check the ink sequence against the job specification before finalising Press paths or Ink notes. Record viscosity, pH where relevant, anilox selection and dryer settings before dispatching stock or job sheets. If you use the contact form, include the press name, substrate and ink chemistry so the enquiry matches the work in hand.
- Ink chemistry matched to substrate type
- Viscosity and shade checked at startup
- Ink drawdowns and viscosity notes filed
Ink behaviour under SA conditions
Johannesburg dry air can push solvent loss faster than expected, while coastal plants often watch slower evaporation and more moisture effect on water based work. Many packaging sites also juggle mixed press ages, from older central impression units to newer servo lines, so the same ink set may need different control limits. Keep export jobs, food packs and general retail work clearly separated in the records.
Power interruptions can alter dryer temperature stability and restart colour. Dust from busy industrial areas can show up quickly on open containers, plates and web handling parts, especially during extended makereadies. Inks for film, paper and board should therefore be checked with the press environment in mind, not only against the lab target.
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Details that help specify ink
Send the substrate name, print colours, pack use, curing or drying method, and any failure seen on press. Include whether the job is on film, paper, board or laminate, plus the current anilox and tape combination. Those details narrow the ink set far better than a generic request for packaging ink.
Log the request with the job code, batch references and date of the press run. When a buyer or production manager needs traceability, attach the retained swatch, approval note and any press readings taken during the shift. That gives the ink set page a clear link to the production record.
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