Comparative Analysis of Ink Trapping of Conventional and Bio-based Inks on various papers using Offset Printing Process

Abstract

The present study presents a comparative analysis of ink trapping behaviour of conventional and bio-based inks on various paper substrates using the offset printing process. Ink trapping plays a vital role in achieving accurate colour reproduction and consistent print quality in multicolour printing. Printing trials were carried out using conventional inks and bio-based inks on various papers under identical press conditions. A standard trapping test chart was employed, and trapping efficiency was evaluated using densitometric and spectrophotometric measurements. The results indicate that ink trapping is significantly influenced by ink formulation and paper surface characteristics. Bio-based inks exhibited variations in trapping performance compared to conventional inks, particularly on absorbent substrates, due to differences in ink setting and absorption behaviour. Although bio-based inks offer environmental advantages, their trapping performance requires optimization to meet the demands of commercial offset printing applications.