New class of solvent inks from Inkware

When the international ink jet industry gathers at IMI’s Ink Jet Developers Conference 2006 on June 27-29, 2006 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare; Inkware, LLC, a division of EFI, will feature BioWare – the next-generation of environmentally-friendly solvent inks, made with totally renewable resources. The only solvent ink approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), BioWare inks provide all the benefits of traditional solvent inks without the compromises inherent in other solvent and aqueous ink solutions on the market today.

Like other solvent inks, BioWare ink is durable, bonds to uncoated substrates, and resists mechanical wear and UV light. BioWare inks from Inkware can be used in high production environments and provide high print quality. Other benefits include: lower disposal costs since there are no hazardous materials; odor is reduced on final printed materials and it is less objectionable than solvent to employees and the environment. In new shops or installations, no ventilation and burner systems are required. 

Vutek will be promoting this new technology using the BioVu name. Mutoh America will also offer this technology with MutohBIO Inks. Inkware plans to selectively work with other OEM partners during the second half of 2006.

Steve Mills, Inkware engineering manager, stated: ‘BioWare establishes a whole new class of ink, giving customers more choice when selecting an ink. Finally, an ink is being offered that shows concern for both human health and the environment. It is getting easier to be green.’

BioWare inks, developed under a Memorandum of Understanding with the EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) initiative, are a set of patent-pending printing inks – based on the special properties of its BioSolvent formulations. 

’The key purpose of the DfE-Inkware partnership is to recognize and encourage the environmentally preferable chemistry of the partnership products,’ Clive Davies, chief, Design for the Environment, said in a letter. ‘DfE is very enthusiastic about Inkware’s successful formulation of these products and about our partnership, the first in the ink products area.’

The patent-pending, environmentally-preferable chemistry covered in the MOU includes Inkware’s BioWare in cyan, magenta, yellow, black and BioWare light cyan, light magenta, light yellow and light black for superwide format inkjet printing operations. 

BioWare inks are a biologically-based product and contain a solvent derived from corn. Bio-based products such as BioWare inks reduce dependency on oil reserves, benefit local farmers, are safer for the environment and protect worker’s health. Additionally, the corn-based solvents used in BioWare inks are not hazardous air pollutants, pose no threat to the ozone layer, and are biodegradable surfactants with byproducts.

Because of a flash point greater than 141F, the product has very low volatility and potential for flammability and can be safely shipped by all modes of transport.

As part of the MOU, Inkware will make continuous environmental improvement an important element of its research and development activities.

BioWare inks are currently in Beta tests in various sites in the United States and Europe. Once Beta testing is complete, BioWare ink will be available worldwide, with an initial release date of June 2006.