What is the difference between solvent ink and pigment ink

To help with this, here's part one of our two part instant mini-introduction to the most common inks that are used for graphical and industrial printing. Here we look at aqueous and solvent inks, two of the most common types used in large format applications, plus dye sublimation, which is popular for textile and transfer printing.

We're excluding inks for "material deposition" types of printing such as electronic circuits and 3D "additive manufacturing for biomedical, engineering and similar applications. In future Learning Curves we'll look at individual inks in more detail as well as providing introductions to other technical and usage issues across the range of printing processes used by FESPA members.

Some of the aftermarket ink suppliers get around this by offering insurance deals that cover some maintenance and repair claims. In rare cases, a third party conversion between types will be offered, but only between closely related inks such as strong solvent to light solvent, or light solvent to solvent-UV hybrid. In most cases these will be conversions of new machines before delivery, but retrofits are sometimes possible. In this case, older machines can be retrofitted on-site by flushing out, changing the feed lines and adding a new UV curing lamp system.

What is it: an ink in which the main carrier is water, with colorants made from either dyes or pigments. Dyes are bright and cheap but fade quickly, pigments cost more but resist fading if you look after the prints. Photographic quality pigment inks can resist fading for a century or more if you keep them away from direct sunlight and pollutants.

Aqueous ink printers used for fine art and photography can have many colours and shades - this Canon iPF has Aqueous inks are non toxic during and after printing. They don't smell, unlike some solvents.

However for the best quality a special surface coating is needed on the media to absorb the ink and stop it spreading before the water evaporates. This increases the price compared to solvent and UV media.

Used for: mostly paper and card media. Posters, photography, fine art, POS, indoor banners and signage, liner papers, treated canvas, corrugated, items where non-toxicity matters, such as primary food packaging. Most office and home inkjet printers use aqueous inks. Not used for: outdoor applications, non-absorbent media though some films and plastics and even thin metals are available with special inkjet-receptive coatings. Printer types: sheet or roll fed, with either thermal or piezo heads.

There's no reason not to build a large flatbed aqueous printer, but we're not aware of any. Inks that are intended for absorption into polyester textiles or coatings on solid objects. Wood Frames. Metal Frames. Mat Boards. Picture Framing. In the world of fine art reproduction and commercial printing, there are many considerations to be made prior to the actual printing process.

In addition to paper and canvas selections, printer formats and qualities, and choices of display, the customer must determine what type of ink is best suited to the future use of his or her print. Scan the table below to see a simplified breakdown of the different types of printer inks available on the market today, and then read on for more information on each type. Water-based ink mixed with a colored powder pigment or a dye. A solvent volatile organic compound mixed with colored powder pigment.

A mild solvent mixed with colored powder pigment ; can be used in enclosed spaces. A very fine-particle pigment is mixed in the printer with an oil carrier. An alternative to ink used in laser printers; remains in a powdered form until fused to the paper.

Usually pigment ink, cured dried by UV light before exiting the printer. Aqueous inks are those that use water as a carrier for the colored substance, which can be either dye or pigment. Dye-based aqueous inks stain the page when applied, and dry on the paper or canvas as the water evaportates. Very tiny dots of color can be created with dye-based inks, resulting in a high quality, smooth print.

They also produce very bright colors. However, dye-based inks will spread and stain again if water is reapplied - they are not waterproof and any moisture can damage the print. Additionally, the colors will fade over time due from the UV rays in sun- and natural light. Pigment-based aqueous inks combine a powdered substance similar to chalk dust with the water carrier. Since the pigment sits on top of the paper instead of staining it, pigment inks scatter light and result in a slightly more muted colors than dye-based inks.

Here are a few of the most popular ones:. The liquid in UVC inks is aqueous-based, and the colorants are usually pigment-based but can also be dye-based. The key advantage of UVC inks is that they can be applied to pretty much any material you can put through the press — including rigid media such as plastics and foamboard. This is because there is no absorption of ink into the media, and neither is there need for liquid solvents to be left to evaporate.

Instead, the ink dries on the surface as soon as it is cured, meaning it can be applied to non-porous substrates as well as paper. UVC inks are also waterproof, meaning they are great for outdoor applications.

The main disadvantages of UVC inks is that they are expensive, the curing module required for the printer is also expensive, and the print quality is not as good as conventional water-based and solvent inks. Also, because of there is a high volume of ink on the surface, UVC inks are sometimes susceptible to cracking if applied to a flexible substrate.

Typical applications of UVC inks are for stiff media, outdoor graphics and general display and signage. I just did tests; printing from the Canon IPF 12 ink printer and the Epson printing on coated aluminium and the results are exciting!

One last note. Why is anyone still talking about Iris printers. I worked for Iris 10 years ago, and the printers were dinosaurs then. They are non-archival, low d-max, the ink consistency is non-existant. The drum configuration is limited. The resolution is low verses the new Canon, Epson and HP printers. And i certainly would not pay a print shop for a print from one! Best, Ken. Pigment is a dry powder - dye is soluble is the solvent. Binder holds the pigment together and sticks to the substrate.

Solvent controls the viscosity of the ink. Additives help the ink wet out the paper, film, and foil. Ink jet printers usually use water based ink which will wet out and adhere to paper and some films but will not wet out and adhere to foil substrates unless they are treated. Solvent based inks hydrocarbon, alcohol, ketone etc. A pigment ink can be water based or solvent based and is much more permanent than dye based ink. Pigmented ink would be recommended for outdoor use and probably should be coated with a good UV resistant clear.

If you want to use the Canon printer then you will have to find a foil that will accept the Canon ink wet and adhere to it.