ACKLEY MACHINE CORPORATION

ACKLEY machine corporation

1273 NORTH CHURCH STREET,

MOORESTOWN NEW JERSEY, U.S.A. SUITE 106, 08057-1194

TEL. 1 856 234 3626 FAX 1 856 234 8657

CHARACTERISTICS OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND CONFECTIONARY PRINTING INKS

Ink types

Solvent base

Water base

Solvent / Water base

Various solvents and other typical ingredients used in printing inks.

SDA-3A

Ethyl Alcohol

Isopropyl Alcohol

Normal Butyl Alcohol

Purified Water

Propylene Glycol (Used Sparingly)

Ammonium Hydroxide or Ethyl Acetate

Shellac or Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose (the binder or "glue")

The color selected, usually composed of FD&C or D&C lakes or dyes or synthetic iron oxide pigments Carbon black is allowable in some countries.

Polysiloxane (Medicinal Anti foam.)

2 - Ethoxyethanol (Cellosolve).

The use of the ingredients listed above can be acceptable, non-acceptable or regulated in different countries.

Inks should be carefully chosen to assure compatibility with the product surface being printed. There are many coatings available and each has its own particular reaction to the ingredients contained in the printing inks.

Solvents are used to dissolve some ingredients such as the shellac, to suspend color particulates and also to control drying rates.

The addition of Ammonium Hydroxide to some ink formulations helps the ink to "bite" into waxed surfaces, literally penetrating the waxes and getting under and into the surface.

With the exception of the color medium and Shellac or Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose, all other ingredients contained in the ink evaporate or "flash" away.

Mix and prepare ink as required to assure good suspension or solution of ingredients.

It will be necessary to compensate for solvent loss by adding a small amount of thinner from time to time, during operation, to keep ink viscosity optimum for use. The evaporative rate of the thinners used can have an effect on print quality and run ability. The following list of commonly used solvents gives the relative rate, fastest to slowest:

SDA-3A

Ethyl Alcohol

Isopropyl Alcohol

Normal Butyl Alcohol

Purified Water

Propylene Glycol (Used Sparingly)

It is always advisable that inks contain quantities (even in small amounts) of all ingredients that will allow adjustments to be made (by the operator) as conditions dictate. If a necessary ingredient does not exist in the ink formulation when submitted for approval, it can often be difficult and usually very time consuming and labor intensive to get approval afterwards.

An equal mixture by volume of isopropyl and Butyl alcohol is a good average dry-time solvent. However, each ink and its use on various machines and types of products, can be different.

Propylene Glycol is used when an ink needs to dry slower, but not be made thinner.

A mixture of Propylene Glycol and Isopropyl Alcohol (10-20% Propylene Glycol, 90-80% Isopropyl Alcohol) can often be used as a substitute for Butyl Alcohol to slow down the drying time of the ink.

Common observations, and probable causes;

PRINT WEAK, THIN LINE

Ink is probably too thick, or drying too quickly, add appropriate solvents, e.g. Isopropyl / Propylene Glycol mix.

PRINT BROAD, FUZZY, WASHED-OUT

Ink is probably too thin, replace ink.

PRINT MISSING, OR INCOMPLETE

Possibly debris on rubber roller, clogged etches, insufficient print impression, or damaged rubber roller or ink drying too quickly.

SMUDGED OR SPOTTY MARKED PRINTED PRODUCT

Rubber roller print impression too high, "squash effect" - loose print rollers or debris in roller gears, product hitting stripper plate. Spotting - ink has not dried sufficiently before discharge.

INK IS DRYING TOO QUICKLY AND IS TOO THIN TO ADD SOLVENTS

Add Propylene Glycol. NOTE: Add in small amounts of 5 ml each! Too much and ink may become too wet and cause ink spotting.

Printing and ink maintenance is easily learned.

Once the printing environment is established and inks are adjusted to suit their proper purpose, there is usually little effort required to maintain the integrity of the printing inks.

We request that the Ink manufacturer, formulation and solvent specifications be submitted to Ackley Machine Corporation no more than 2 weeks after receipt of an order. We normally expect the customer to assume the responsibility of compatibility of ink with the products' finished coating. However, we urge you to take advantage of Ackley Machine Corporation's 40 years of printing experience before submitting any ink formulation information to the governing authorities.