TONING

A light scumming condition on a press sheet characterized by ink in the non-image areas of the blanket, paper, and eventually the plate. Toning stems from bad fountain solution (sometimes contaminated by the paper), poor plate exposure or processing, or ink water-logging. Ask our technical department about “Complexing Solution” or “buffers” as possible remedies. In waterless litho printing, toning can result from the ink rollers not being chilled enough, improper plate exposure or processing, or having the wrong ink. Contact Graphic Ink for ideas on how to diagnose and eliminate toning. See also “CTI”, “scumming”, “buffers”, and “Complexing Solution”.