BASF is previewing a number of new products at Drupa including Printclean, a water-based wash-up solution for rollers and blankets.
The clear solution is made from water, vegetable oil and fatty acids and contains no volatile organic compounds. Although the product has been developed in conjunction with Heidelberg, BASF claimed that it can be used on all offset presses.
BASF chemist Dr Markus Mller said: Usually oil and water dont mix but this is a stable micro-emulsion. He added that after use the printer will be able to take advantage of the natural repulsion of the wash-ups main ingredients.
The dirty solution breaks down into its aqueous and vegetable oil components, reducing waste by about a half, he said. The water-based waste is clean enough to be released into a sewage system. Full scale production of Printclean is set to begin within the next few months.
BASF has also announced that it is developing a range of water-based process offset inks. Dr Mller said that the inks, which will have to be used with waterless plates, could be commercially available very soon.
The main benefit of using the water-based inks is a faster turnaround achieved through shorter drying times, said Mller. The advantage of the inks is that they dry very quickly. After a few minutes the printer can go to the next process.
He added that BASF water-based inks, which contain no mineral oils or volatile organic compounds, dry through a combination of evaporation and absorption and therefore do not require any special drying devices.
By John Davies