Temperature effects on ink transfer performance of gravure offset printing for fine-line circuitry

The study attempts to characterize the influences of temperature-dependent ink transfer performance of gravure offset printing for fine-line circuitry through experimental analysis. First of all, the temperature- and solvent content-dependent contact angle of ink deposited on different substrates, blankets and gravure metal plates are measured using contact angle measurement instrument. Subsequently, to examine the temperature effects on the amount of ink transfer from the gravure plate and to the blanket at off process and from the blanket to substrate at set process, an experiment is set up and carried out. At last, a theoretical prediction of the ink transfer behavior at different solvent content and temperature is also conducted using Surface Evolver. The prediction results are compared with the experimental data.