Stable ink–water balance
An important property of newspaper ink is its ability to work with the right amount of dampening water. During printing, the ink should not enter the dampening tray or contaminate the dampening roller. A well-adjusted ink–water balance supports good print quality and reduces both ink and water consumption.
Absorption and drying on paper
An ink suited to uncoated writing paper or newsprint should be absorbed and set quickly after printing. This helps prevent ink from transferring to the sheet above or below it, a problem known as set-off, and keeps the printed sheets clean.
Controlled ink–water emulsification
The emulsion on the plate should allow ink to adhere to the image areas while the water keeps excess ink off the non-image areas. This prevents unwanted ink spread on the plate and background tinting in the printed work.
Good transfer from the blanket
Tack is another important property. An ideal ink transfers fully from the blanket to the paper. If the ink builds up on the blanket instead, it can cause paper to wrap around it and contribute to plate wear during long runs.
No ink build-up at the edges of the blanket
Incorrect tack can also cause ink to accumulate gradually at the blanket’s edges, creating visible defects in the print. Ask the newspaper ink manufacturer for an ink with the appropriate tack: neither too high nor too low.