Domino launches MEK-free inks

Domino Printing Sciences has launched a range of MEK-free, low-VOC inks for its Ax-Series CIJ printers, including the new Ax560i, to help manufacturers ease regulatory and administrative requirements and cut solvent use without losing drying speed or adhesion.

MEK-free inks have historically struggled with drying times and reliability, particularly formulations with high levels of ethanol in the solvent base. The latest inks in the range use low-impact pentanone-based solvents, and Domino says they deliver adhesion, print performance and drying times close to those of traditional MEK-based inks.

‘Our new MEK-free ink range has been developed to help ease the compliance burden for our manufacturing customers. While there is currently no globally unified regulation imposing restrictions on the use of MEK, in some regions the use of MEK-based inks comes with additional administrative and monitoring requirements. Choosing alternative solvent bases can alleviate this workload, but historically alternatives have often included performance trade-offs,’ said Karen Davey, product manager, fluids at Domino.

The range covers industrial applications and direct and non-direct food packaging, with formulations designed to support compliance with the German Printing Ink Ordinance, subject to final migration testing of the finished packaging. 1BK112 is a general purpose black ink with good adhesion on metal, glass and some plastics. 7CL103 is a clear fluorescent ink with retort and alcohol resistance. 7BK107 is a black ink with oil and alcohol resistance for more demanding food packaging, with strong adhesion on metal, glass and plastics.

Customer field trials have confirmed the performance across a range of real-world applications. ‘Food packaging trials with the new 1BK112 resulted in top-tier adhesion and fast-drying performance, even in demanding freezer-grade flow-wrap environments,’ explained Rajesh Saini, deputy general manager, technical services at Domino Printech India.

Domino says the inks can reduce VOC emissions and cut make-up usage by up to 35 percent, compared with traditional MEK-based inks, which are associated with high VOC emissions and significant make-up consumption. The Green Pack solvent recovery add-on, available for the Ax350i and Ax550i, can reduce make-up usage further, to as much as 50 percent. The Ax560i adds Enhanced Solvent Recovery, and its CleanAssist function reduces wash solvent used in printhead cleaning by recycling make-up within the ink system.

‘At Domino, we are committed to helping our manufacturing customers improve sustainability, reduce waste and remain compliant, so they can continue serving consumers worldwide. Our in-house product compliance team closely monitors the global regulatory landscape and works with our ink development team to anticipate changing requirements. This helps ensure we can continue to provide compliant, reliable products that also support our customers’ sustainability goals,’ added Jill Woods, product compliance training manager at Domino.