"""
Knowledge about printing ink systems and formulations for packaging.
"""

title = "Ink Systems and Formulations"

content = """
Printing inks for packaging must balance vibrant appearance, functional
performance, regulatory compliance, and production efficiency across diverse
substrates and end-use conditions.

**Water-Based Inks:** The dominant corrugated printing ink for environmental
and economic reasons. Acrylic emulsions dry through water evaporation and
polymer coalescence. They offer good printability, low odor, and easy cleanup.
Water-based systems require substrates with some absorbency and adequate dry
path length. Additives control foam, pH, drying speed, and rub resistance.

**UV-Curable Inks:** 100% solids formulations that polymerize instantly under
UV lamp exposure. UV inks enable printing on non-absorbent substrates (plastics,
metallized boards) and provide superior rub and chemical resistance. They
require capital investment in curing systems and appropriate personal
protective equipment. Food-contact compliant UV formulations follow strict
migration testing protocols.

**Solvent-Based Inks:** Traditional systems using alcohol, ester, or hydrocarbon
carriers. Solvent inks penetrate and dry rapidly on film substrates where water
cannot. They face environmental regulation pressure but remain essential for
some flexible packaging applications. Recovery systems minimize emissions and
reduce solvent costs.

**Low-Migration Formulations:** Food packaging inks formulated with raw
materials meeting strict migration limits. These systems exclude heavy metals,
photoinitiators, and other components that could transfer to food. Formulations
are tested against specific food simulants and storage conditions. Migration
testing documentation accompanies compliant ink shipments.

**Specialty Inks:** Metallic inks create gold, silver, and colored metallic
effects without foil stamping. Security inks incorporate invisible UV-fluorescent
or thermochromic properties. Conductive inks enable printed electronics. Each
specialty requires press modifications and handling procedures.
"""

version = "0.0.1"
