Re: 20ps Dye-based inks fade to yellow and not stable until 72hours
Re: 20ps Dye-based inks fade to yellow and not stable until 72hours
- Subject: Re: 20ps Dye-based inks fade to yellow and not stable until 72hours
- From: Robin Myers <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 09:11:46 -0700
- Organization: Robin Myers Imaging
Roger Breton wrote:
>
My problem is with the 20ps dye-based inks.
>
>
I'm wondering whether HP is aware of this problem? And, of course, to what
>
extent they are doing something about it? Two days ago, I have sent them an
>
Excel spreadsheet detailing the shift of color, in Delta E, that occurs as
>
the ink dries on the paper, measured over a period of 72 hours -- I stopped
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after 72 hours (maybe I shouldn't have) but I was so pissed that I did not
>
have the heart to continue beyond that time. I would say about 10% of all
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the color patches on the target I was measuring over time shifted by as muh
>
as 10 Delta E. If anyone's interested to look at that data, you're more than
>
welcome to contact me off-list.
This problem is not unique to HP but endemic to the entire inkjet
printer industry. To solve this problem quickly, I have used two
techniques successfully.
1. Use a hair dryer. I take a hair dryer and carefully dry the print. To
help prevent wrinkling I bend the print in an arc so that the tension
will cause the print to "pop" to the curvature as it dries. This drying
on the arc is performed with first an arc across one paper axis, then
the other. Be very careful not to make the paper too hot or it might
cause the colorants to change hue or lightness. So take your time.
Typically, this takes me about an hour to get the print dry (your
mileage will vary depending on ink, paper, hair dryer wattage and your
pain threshold for hot items in your hand).
2. Use a microwave oven. After watching a video where Ansel Adams dried
his prints in a microwave to judge the difference between the wet and
dry appearance, I decided to try this on inkjet prints. It works, but BE
CAREFUL! Especially on semi-gloss and glossy papers vapor pressure can
be increased under the coatings to the point where the paper will
delaminate or bubble. So, start with just a few seconds (I start with 30
seconds on Medium), then adjust to more time and power, depending on
your microwave. I suggest using multiple drying cycles rather than
trying to dry the print in one application. WARNING! You can destroy
your print with this method easily. If you are using solvent based inks,
be very careful about having open flames near the microwave or anything
else that might set the vaporized solvent aflame.
The hair dryer technique is safer, the microwave technique faster. If
you are concerned about possible color shifts with the accelerated
drying, compare a print dried in air after several days with an
accelerated print. Check the Delta-Es. If acceptable, you have a new technique.
Oh, I've only used this technique for profile target prints since my
hairdryer and microwave are a bit small for those wide format prints.
Robin Myers
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