Design4Food Optimized inking for offset food packaging

Fons Put 18 november

Fons.put@vigc.be www.vigc.be @VIGCbe

Cardboard food packaging

§  Typical product: the breakfast cereal box

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bron: PIRA Radtech Stuttgart

Production proces

§  Process colors �  Illustrations

§  Spot colors �  Branding

§  Laquer/varnish �  Finishing & protection

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Critical side effects (1)

§  Set-off (scope) �  Contact between printed side and reverse side in a

printed pile or roll �  This contact can cause a transfer of ink & laquer to

the reverse (unprinted) side of the substrate �  Clearly forbidden by European guidance!

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Critical side effects (2)

§  Migration – Permeation (out-of-scope) �  Transfer of chemicals to the food-contact side

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StudybyRüdigerHelling(LuaDresden).FinancedbyGermanFederalMinistryofFood,AgricultureandConsumerProtecCon(BMELV)-Dec2009toMay2011

Irgacure127 155ppbIrgacure127PermeaConprocess

Photoini'ators-UV-printedcasing Photoini'ators-sausage

2-Benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-4-morpholino-butyrophenone

10ppb2-Benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-4-morpholino-butyrophenone

Set-off solutions in the market

§  Goal: obtain dry contact surfaces

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ExtendCmebeforecontact(pressdesign)

Acceleratedrying(hotair,infraredlight,…)

ArCficialinkdrying(UV-inks,LowEnergyUV)

ReducConofthecontactsurface(powder)

Balancedinkdrying(materials)

What can be done before printing?

§  Goal: minimize ink consumption �  Color may not be affected!

§  Advantages �  Lower risk for set-off �  Less material (ink) = less migration (linear relation)

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Techniques for minimizing ink

§  Black ink function in CMYK printing �  Root: Elecronic scanners – 1970 (UCR, GCR, ICR) �  Now: unlimited variation possible through digital

imaging processing (ICC-profiles)

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i1Profiler(X-rite)

ICC-profiles for ink reduction

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Example1:browncolorL*35,a*29,b*0

34%C+80%M+56%Y+35%K 11%C+75%M+42%Y+51%K

ICC-profiles for ink reduction

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Example2:darkblackL*11,a*0,b*-1

88%C+78%M+65%Y+93%K 47%C+38%M+33%Y+100%K

Theoretical testing of popular profiles

§  Research of 80 CIElab dark colors

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Theoretical testing of popular profiles

§  Research of 80 dark color combinations �  Color accuracy versus ink consumption

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ICC-profile maximum ink limit

color deviation (DE2000) % ink consumption difference

average maximum Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

ISOcoated_v2_eci 330% 0 0 reference reference reference reference

Coated Fogra 39 (Adobe) 330% 2 4 8% 9% 9% -10%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_320 320% 1 2 -15% -16% -20% 7%

ISOcoated_v2_300_eci 300% 0 1 -4% -4% -5% 2%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_300 300% 1 1 -17% -18% -22% 7%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_280 280% 1 1 -18% -18% -23% 8%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_260 260% 1 1 -20% -20% -26% 8%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_240 240% 1 2 -24% -24% -30% 9%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_230 230% 1 2 -27% -26% -34% 10%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_220 220% 1 3 -30% -29% -38% 10%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_210 210% 2 4 -35% -33% -43% 11%

Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_200 200% 2 6 -40% -37% -48% 12%

Theoretical testing of popular profiles

§  Research of 80 midtone CIElab colors

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Theoretical testing of popular profiles

§  Research of 80 midtone combinations

§  Conclusions (theoretical) �  220% maximum inklimit = threshold for accurate

reproduction of dark colors �  Heavy black curve saves ink without color change �  No benefit by using industry promoted profiles

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ICC-profle % ink consumption difference Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

ISOcoated_v2_eci referentie referentie referentie referentie ISOcoated_v2_300_eci -5% -5% -5% 7% Coated Fogra 39 (Adobe) 7% 9% 8% -17% Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_320 -19% -19% -19% 27% Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_260 -20% -20% -21% 28% Coated_Fogra39L_VIGC_220 -22% -21% -22% 30% F39_CMY_only 34% 39% 44% -100%

Print trials

§  Evaluation of maximum ink limit �  325% - 260% - 220%

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of maximum ink limit

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330%max.inklimit260%220%

Print trials

§  Evaluation of maximum ink limit �  Effect of the use of 100% black

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of maximum ink limit �  Does a higher ink coverage produces more set-off?

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!

Print trials

§  Evaluation of maximum ink limit

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400% ECI% 320%

300% 260% 220%

Print trials

§  Evaluation of black in separation �  Identical colors

�  without black ink, medium and maximum black

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of black in separation

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Noblackink(CMYonly)MaximumuseofblackinkMediumuseofblackink

Print trials

§  Evaluation of black in separation �  deltaE2000<2 : strong visual resemblance �  2<deltaE2000<4: noticable color difference �  deltaE2000>4: strong color difference

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Noblackink(CMYonly)MaximumuseofblackinkMediumuseofblackink

Print trials

§  Evaluation of black in separation: lacquer

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MaximumuseofblackinkMaximumuseofblackink+lacquer

Print trials

§  Evaluation of black in separation: lacquer

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CMYCMY+lacquer

Print trials

§  Evaluation of black in separation �  Does the heavy use of black ink promotes stability in

printing? �  Color variation in a print run

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of real-life design

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of real-life design

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of real-life design �  Mathematical method

� Sampling of dominant design colors � Calculating 2 separations

�  Original 325%, medium black �  220%, heavy black

� Color measurement & difference (dE2000)

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Print trials

§  Evaluation of real-life design �  Mathematical method

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C M Y K L* a* b* ΔCIE2000 ΔL ΔC ΔH C M Y K ΔCIE2000 ΔL ΔC ΔH ΔCIE2000

1 10 70 52 2 56.0 41.8 19.8 3 2.5 -1.0 -1.5 1 68 48 10 3 3.0 -0.5 0.8 1

2 44 62 67 64 27.5 8.1 9.3 3 2.5 0.0 -2.2 23 51 57 74 3 3.0 0.7 1.6 1

3 35 85 64 57 26.1 23.1 8.6 2 2.6 -1.7 -0.8 13 78 51 68 2 2.8 -2.0 0.4 0

4 63 68 56 76 18.8 3.8 -0.1 3 3.5 -0.7 -1.2 37 48 35 88 3 3.2 -0.2 -1.4 1

5 59 77 64 86 14.6 5.2 2.0 3 3.5 0.2 -1.2 29 55 40 94 2 3.4 0.4 0.8 0

6 60 62 57 67 23.5 3.3 1.1 2 2.5 -0.4 -1.1 35 44 38 82 3 3.1 0.0 0.8 1

7 82 72 62 91 11.8 -0.6 -1.0 3 3.6 -0.8 -1.4 47 38 33 100 4 3.5 0.6 -3.0 2

8 69 80 61 89 12.6 3.5 0.0 3 4.0 0.0 -1.1 37 51 33 97 3 3.9 0.4 -1.9 1

9 35 80 63 45 31.3 24.9 10.1 4 3.9 -1.9 -1.9 12 74 51 60 3 3.6 -2.0 0.2 1

10 46 70 63 70 22.9 9.6 5.4 3 3.6 -0.3 -2.2 24 59 49 80 3 3.7 -0.3 1.0 1

11 53 60 60 63 27.1 4.8 4.2 1 1.2 0.4 -0.5 31 46 45 76 2 1.9 0.6 0.2 1

12 50 56 51 55 31.8 5.8 2.4 1 1.3 0.0 -0.5 31 45 38 68 1 1.1 0.0 0.1 1

separatie 1/2originele separatie: druk versus target separatie VIGC 220: druk versus targetKleurnr

Print trials

§  Evaluation of real-life design �  Visual method

� Comparison in a light cabinet �  5 basis and 5 optimized samples

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Conclusions

§  Food packaging printing is a specialised printing proces �  Choise of substrate (odour, recycling) �  Choise of ink (low migration) �  Food-safe printing (set-off) �  Complexity of ink-drying

§  Protection against set-off by using an optimized color separation (ICC) �  Choise of maximum ink limit: 220% is possible without

affecting colors �  Choise of black generation in separation: maximum

black further lowers the ink consumption and increases color accuracy and stability

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