ABRASION

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Pigment is not ground
Grind pigment

Pigment choice is incorrect

Select different pigments

Solvent is drying too fast causing a dry wipe

Balance solvent blends

Poor chroming of the cylinder

Rechrome cylinder

Cylinder design is inappropriate

Change to proper cylinder design

Blade is not oscillating

 Adjust blade

Blade pressure is excessive

Decrease blade pressure

Contaminant is present in the ink

Filter or remake ink

Doctor blade is nicked or warped

Change doctor blade

Doctor blade contact angle is incorrect

Re-set blade to correct angle and pressure
ADHESION

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Surface is not ink or lacquer receptive
Treat substrate, change ink or use a primer

Ink is not drying properly

Add faster solvents, increase air and heat

Ink is brittle due to insufficient plasticizer

Add a small amount of plasticizer

Ink choice is improper for substrate

Reformulate ink for specific substrate

Excessive slip package is present in the first down ink

Reformulate ink for best trapping properties
Web temperature is too low for the substrate and ink
Increase web temperature to adequate level for substrate and ink

Re-worked ink with out of balance pigment to vehicle ratio

Remake ink or refresh ink with pigment and resin
BLISTERING / OFFSET

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Web temperature is excessive
Decrease web temperature

Solvent selection is poor

Change solvent blend

Cylinder is too deep

Re-etch or replace cylinder

Ink/lacquer is drying too slowly

Add faster drying solvent. For aqueous inks check and adjust pH

Oven balance is incorrect

Reset balance, adjust dampers
BLOCKING / OFFSET

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink is not drying properly
Add faster drying solvents & increase airflow

Solvents are trapped

Add faster drying solvents & increase airflow

Web is rewound too tight

Reduce chill roll temperature

Rewind pressure is excessive on web

Reduce web tension

Ink or varnish is over plasticized

Remake ink or varnish. Add anti block agent

Ink or top lacquer is soft or has a low melting point

Remake ink or lacquer
Web temperature is low
Increase web temperature

Moisture condensation appears on the chill roll

Reset chill rolls to above dew point eliminate moisture

Check to see if the film is treated on both sides

Try one-sided film

BRITTLENESS

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Web heat is excessive
Decrease web temperature

Moisture is lost from the substrate

Introduce moisture by adding steam or add a small amount of
plasticizer
The level of plasticizer in the ink is incorrect or plasticizer is
lost through migration
Add plasticizer or change ink

Excessive non stick is occurring

Reduce non stick or add a small amount of plasticizer

GRAVURE

BULLEYES / HICKEYS

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Dust or dirt particles are on the substrate
Clean or change substrate

Particles are in the ink

Filter the ink

Voids are on the substrate

Check the substrate and replace if needed

Pits, corrosion or dirt are on the impression cylinder

Check and clean impression cylinder
GRAVURE

COMETS

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Pattern changes with oscillation
Check for foreign substance under the blade. Clean blade and filter
the ink

Cylinder surface is nicked

Lightly polish or replace cylinder

Ink is too dry

Slightly slow down ink drying for “wetter” printing

Chrome is poor or has worn surface

Inspect cylinder against engravers proof and check for loose or
flakey chrome areas
GRAVURE

DONUTS

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink is drying too fast
Add small amounts of slower drying solvents

Ink viscosity is too high

Reduce ink viscosity and adjust for better flow out

Foaming is occurring in the ink

Minimize ink freefall and avoid over agitation

Solvent balance is poor

Consult your local Sun representative

Film treatment is marginal

Check film for proper treatment

Porosity in substrate is too high

Use lower porosity substrate or try adding wetting agent to the ink

Cell volume is excessive for high hold out substrates

Reduce cell volume on high hold out substrates

Cell geometry is inappropriate

Adjust cell geometry

Ink may be too tacky

Make the ink harder using an alternate resin

Solvent (blend) is too Polar, picking up moisture

Add Ester or Aromatic Aliphatic Hydrocarbon

GRAVURE

DRAG OUT

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink is too thin
Increase ink viscosity

Doctor blade is wavy

Align doctor blade properly

Blade angle is too flat

Sharpen blade angle for a better wipe

Blade position is incorrect

Move back up blade closer to the doctor blade edge

Tension control is poor

Check and adjust tension

Ink is drying too slowly

Add faster drying solvents. For aqueous inks check and adjust pH

Foreign matter such as paper, substrate dust or pigment

particles are present in the ink
Filter and/or replace ink. Eliminate source of foreign matter

Cylinder worn – wide walls

Scope cylinder – check chrome for wear, copper showing

GRAVURE
DRYING IN

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink viscosity too high
Reduce ink viscosity

Ink is drying too fast

Add slower drying solvents

Air drafts are blowing on the cylinder

Eliminate air drafts

Ink is short bodied

Add clear extending varnish

Doctor blade wipe is improper

Check and reset doctor blade setting

Print impression is excessive

Reset for lighter impression
Press speed is too fast
Decrease press speed or increase ink fiow to applicator

Ink resolubility is poor

Use active solvent or reformulate the ink

GRAVURE

FOAMING

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Agitation is excessive
Reduce pump agitation

Circulation of aqueous ink is inadequate

Slightly increase sump circulation

Antifoam level is too low in aqueous ink

Add defoamer and/or adjust ink formulation

Solvent ink or coating contains an additive that is prone to

foaming
Remake ink or coating

GRAVURE

HAZING

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Doctor blade wipe is improper
Check and reset doctor blade setting

Cylinder is slightly rough

Polish cylinder

Ink is over-pigmented
Add clear extender

Chrome is poor on cylinder

Remake cylinder

Humidity is too high

Add a slower drying solvent to the ink

Solvent combination is poor

Change the solvent combination

Web tension is improper

Check and adjust web tension

GRAVURE

INK BLEED

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Drying is insufficient
Increase web temperature and check air velocity. Make sure that
first down ink is dried properly

Ink is drying too slowly

Reduce first down ink viscosity and/or thin with a faster drying
solvent. Increase the viscosity of the second down color and use a
lean solvent blend that won’t attack the first down color

Ink is incorrect
Reformulate or replace the ink
GRAVURE

MOTTLE

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink viscosity is too low
Increase ink viscosity

Ink viscosity is too high

Reduce ink viscosity

Paper stock is too dry

Introduce moist air

Ink is not wetting stock properly

Change blade angle, then change solvent selection

Ink or substrate is too cold

Vary temperature of ink and substrate. Allow to warm to room
temperature

Pigment selection is poor

Reformulate ink
Cylinder is too deep
Re-etch or replace cylinder

Print impression is excessive

Reset for lighter impression

Press returned ink is unusable

Increase resin solids. Use fresh ink

Press speed is too low

Increase press speed

Ink might be printing characteristics of substrate

Check alternate substrate for smoother surface

Make sure solvent blend is correct for resin balance

Check solvents (blends) for accuracy – run GC

GRAVURE

PICKING
PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink is drying too slowly
Add faster drying solvent

Oven temperature is not high enough

Increase heat and air velocity

Ink viscosity is too high

Reduce ink viscosity with thinned extender varnish or solvent

Idler rolls are dirty or tacky

Clean idler rolls and/or wrap with a non stick material such as
Teflon

Web is rewound too warm

Reduce chill roll temperature

Re-work is “worn out”, resin balance is poor

Re-make ink or refresh in sump

GRAVURE

PINHOLING
PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink is failing to form a continuous film
Adjust ink to reduce viscosity. Use a more active (wetter) solvent

Stock is too rough

Use electro-assist (with polar solvents)

There are imperfections in the stock

Adjust doctor blade to carry more ink. Use coating primer if possible

The ink is wrong for the substrate

Reformulate or replace ink

Film treatment is poor

Retreat or replace film

Worn cylinder, insufficient film transfer to cover substrate

Re-make cylinder

GRAVURE

RAILROADS

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Doctor blade is scratched or nicked
If streaks oscillate, change doctor blade

Cylinder surface is nicked

Lightly polish or replace cylinder

Pattern changes with oscillation

Check for foreign substance under the blade. Clean blade and filter
the ink

Cylinder has chrome deposits or high spots

Lightly polish cylinder to remove burr

GRAVURE

SCREENING

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Ink viscosity is too high
Reduce ink viscosity
Ink is drying too fast
Add small amounts of slower drying solvents or speed up the press

Ink is starving
Maintain correct amount of ink in the sump

Blade angle is too sharp

Flatten wipe of the blade

Impression is lacking
Check impression setting and durometer of the impression roll

Ink temperature is too high causing the cylinder to heat up and

the solvenls to evaporate
Cool inks or use slower solvent

GRAVURE

SNOWFLAKING
PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Stock is too rough
Use electrostatic assist with (polar solvents)

Ink viscosity is too high

Reduce ink viscosity

Ink is drying too fast

Add slower drying solvents to the ink or adjust print speed to ink
drying rate

Substrate is too cold

Check substrate for proper smoothness or moisture content and
temperature

Impression is too light

Increase impression. Verify correct roller durometer. Ensure uniform
pressure across web

GRAVURE
STATIC

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Substrate is static prone
Use web tinsel or other antistatic devices

Substrate or print moisture is too low

Increase web humidity. Increase steam line or spray mist

Ink viscosity is too low

Add fresh ink or add pigmented extender to increase viscosity

GRAVURE
STREAKING

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Foreign matter in the ink
Filter the ink

Dried ink skin is in the system

Filter the ink. Keep a lid on the ink container

Pattern changes with oscillation

Check for foreign substance under the blade Clean blade and filter
the ink

Doctor blade is nicked

Lightly polish to remove burr. If streaks oscillate, change doctor
blade

GRAVURE
VOLCANOES

PROBLEM/SOLUTION FOLLOWS
Web heat is excessive
Decrease web temperatures. Excess heat vaporizes some fast
drying solvents resulting in eruptions through the surface

Solvent selection is poor

Change solvent blend. Fast solvents may erupt through the surface
before the ink is dry

Cylinder is too deep

Reduce the depth of the cylinder