Tech Talk From
Tech Talk #17
ACID-BASED FOUNTAIN SOLUTION
WEB OFFSET TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
At Printers' Service, the pressroom is our only business. Our "value added" package includes
an extensive network of technical representatives who service both sheetfed and web offset
printing customers. Their collective experience is available to help you solve your pressroom
problems.
A previous Tech Talk (#15) focused on possible fountain solution-related causes for some of
the most common problems encountered on sheetfed offset printing presses.
This Tech Talk is intended to assist web offset printers using acid-based fountain solutions (pH
5.5 or less). The guide is divided into three sections: Problem, Possible Cause and Suggested
Remedy. It is a starting point for the trouble shooting process; not all potential problems are
listed, and the cause and/or remedy may turn out to be something that is not shown.
Although the web and sheetfed offset printing processes have a lot of similarities, there are
some important differences. These are due mainly to the longer run lengths, higher press
speeds and lower basis weight, uncoated papers commonly encountered in web printing.
Premature plate wear, plate sensitivity and excessive blanket piling, for instance, are more often
encountered in web offset printing.
Our technical representatives are trained to be aware of these differences and are experienced
at troubleshooting both processes. They, and your Printers' Service sales representative, are
always available to assist you in solving your printing problems.
SERVICE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS®
PRINTERS’ SERVICE 26 Blanchard Street • Newark, NJ 07105 • www.prisco.com • (973) 589-7800 • (973) 589-3225 Fax
ACID-BASED FOUNTAIN SOLUTION
WEB OFFSET TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE SUGGESTED REMEDY
Color Variation (surging) - Too much wetting - Revise dosage to reduce
- Ink/fount incompatibility - Replace fountain solution
- Ink improperly formulated - Consult ink vendor
Emulsified Roller Train - Fountain solution less than - Replace fountain solution
pH 3.5
- High water speeds - Revise dosage to reduce water
speeds
- Ink/fount incompatibility - Replace fountain solution
- Dosage too high - Reduce dosage
- Ink WPU too low - Consult ink vendor
Excessive Dot Grain - Improper dosage – too low or - Adjust dosage
too high
- High water speeds - Increase dosage/wetting
- Blanket over packed - Reduce packing .001-.002
- Ink too soft/low in tack - Consult ink vendor
- Too much wetting - Reduce dosage/replace
fountain solution
Feedback in Dampening - Improper ink/water balance, - Change water speed settings
System water too low or high for the while maintaining ink settings
amount of ink
- Change in stock has upset - Consult paper vendor
ink/water balance
- Sensitive dampening system - Desensitize rollers
rollers
- Ink/fount incompatibility - Replace fountain solution
Foam in Reservoir - Reservoir too cold - Raise to 60+/-5 degrees
- Solution contaminated - Dump, replace with fresh
- Mechanical reasons - Many - See Tech Talk #7
Fountain Solution less - Fount concentrate too acidic - Consult fountain solution
than pH 3.5 for the water being used vendor
- Excessive use of pH lowering - Reduce/eliminate use
additives in reservoir
Heatset ink film dry but
comes off on hands
- Poor squalene resistance - Consult ink vendor
Heatset ink not drying - Web temperature too low - Increase dryer temperature or
- Water speeds too high reduce press speed
(damp ink film) - Reduce water speeds/raise
- Fountain solution less than dosages
pH 3.5 - Replace fountain solution
High water metering - Dosage too low - Increase dosage
speeds - Insufficient wetting - Revise dosage/fountain
solution to increase
Image area blinding
- Deposition/adsorption of - See Tech Talk #11, also check
finisher, organic compounds finisher viscosity
or calcium-based compounds
on image area
ACID-BASED FOUNTAIN SOLUTION
WEB OFFSET TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE SUGGESTED REMEDY
Ink Piling - Fountain solution less than - Replace fountain solution
pH 3.5
- Ink/fount incompatibility - Replace fountain solution
- Blanket under packed - Increase packing .001-.002
- Not enough release agent in - Consult ink vendor
ink
- Ink too tacky/stiff - Consult ink vendor
- Poor blanket release - Quicker release type blanket
Mottled/Snowflaked Dots - More water than ink can - Reduce water speeds/increase
emulsify ink WPU
- Water speeds too high - Revise dosage to reduce water
speeds
- Poor quality emulsion - Consult ink and fountain
solution vendors
Paper piling on non-image - Dosage too low - Increase dosage
area of blanket - Not enough anti-pile - Add separate anti-pile or switch
to solution that contains more
anti-pile
- Blanket under-packed - Increase packing .001-.002
- Water speeds too low - Increase slightly
- Paper has poor water - Reduce water speeds or
resistance consult paper vendor
Poor ink rub/scuff - Ink film too thick - Reduce settings/consult ink
vendor
- Not enough/wrong wax - Consult ink vendor
and/or slip agents
Premature plate wear - Dosage too low - Increase dosage
- Not enough plate protectants - Replace fountain solution
- Excessive packing - Reduce packing .001-.002
- Plates too dry - Increase water speeds or
replace fountain solution
- Fountain solution less than - Replace fountain solution
pH 3.5
- Excessive piling - See piling remedies
- Abrasive stock - Consult paper vendor
- Improper plate exposure - Check exposure
Rapid increase in - Poor paper stock - Consult Paper vendor
conductivity, pH stays - Contamination carried into - Reduce wash frequency –
relatively constant reservoir by wash consult fountain solution
vendor
Rapid increase in pH - Inadequate buffer capacity - Change to solution with more
and/or conductivity - Dosage too low buffer capacity
- Inadequate filtration - Increase dosage to provide
- Excess materials leaching more buffer capacity
out of paper and/or ink - Improve filtration system
- Consult vendors
ACID-BASED FOUNTAIN SOLUTION
WEB OFFSET TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE SUGGESTED REMEDY
Rapid increase in pH - Inadequate buffer capacity - Change to solution with more
and/or conductivity - Dosage too low buffer capacity
- Inadequate filtration - Increase dosage to provide
- Excess materials leaching more buffer capacity
out of paper and/or ink - Improve filtration system
- Consult vendors
Roller stripping - Fountain solution less than - Replace fountain solution
pH 3.5
- High water speeds – water - Revise dosage to reduce water
logged ink speeds
- Ink WPU too low - Consult ink vendor
- Glazed inking rollers - Clean/de-glaze rollers
- Dosage too high - Reduce dosage
Scumming – one side of - Improper roller settings - Reset rollers
press only - High temp. - that side - Possible maintenance item
Scumming/dry-ups at - Dosage too low - Increase dosage
outer edges of form - Insufficient wetting - Revise dosage/fountain
solution to increase
- Too much pressure – ends of - Lighten setting
dampener rolls
- Dirty brushers/water stops in - Attend to dampening system
place
Slow initial rollups - Dosage too low - Increase dosage
- Water speeds too low - Raise water metering speeds
- Too much plate finisher - Check finisher viscosity
Slow/poor restarts - Dosage too low - Increase dosage
- Sensitive plates - Clean with plate cleaner
- Not enough plate protectants - Replace fountain solution
- Excessive downtime - “Gum in” plates
- Water from lifting early - Revise shutdown procedure
- Plate dries out too much - Replace fountain solution
Tinting/toning - Fountain solution less than - Replace fountain solution
pH 3.5 - Increase dosage
- Dosage too low - Revise dosage to decrease
- Ink breaking down wetting - consult ink vendor
- Sensitive plates - See remedies – sensitive
- Fountain solution more than plates
pH 5.5 - Replace with fresh solution
As always, your local PRINTERS’ SERVICE office is happy to answer your questions: 10/05
Atlanta (800) 241-6049 • (404) 602-4140 • (404) 602-4139 Fax Miami (800) 432-5068 • (954) 385-1975 • (954) 385- 8875 Fax
Boston (781) 749-4590 • (781) 740-2866 Fax New York/Newark (973) 589-7800 • (212) 962-6565 • (973) 589-3225 Fax
Chicago (800) 654-1357 • (630) 543-4600 • (630) 543-0856 Fax Dallas (800) 338-2241 • (817) 477-4770 • (817) 473-4515 Fax
Los Angeles (800) 825-4846 • (909) 923-1879 • (909) 923-4079 Fax Toronto (888) 460-4406 • (905) 953-9393 • (905) 953-1331 Fax
Philadelphia (800) 222-0146 • (856) 662-3373 • (215) 462-3636 • (856) 486-4552 Fax
U.K. +44 (0) 1423 810 320 • +44 (0) 1423 810 319 Fax Belgium +32 56 40 41 82 • +32 40 41 83 Fax
SERVICE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GRAPHIC ARTS®
PRINTERS’ SERVICE 26 Blanchard Street • Newark, NJ 07105 • www.prisco.com • (973) 589-7800 • (973) 589-3225 Fax
