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Are We Outsourcing our Future?
Aug 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
Over the last four decades, I have observed the America’s R&D fall from its high pedestal. In fact, I would suggest we are in a free fall....
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COF in Printed Packaging
Jul 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
Automatic packaging operations require a specific range of lubricity to process packaging products. Printing inks contribute to the package lubricity and affect both the static as well as kinetic coefficient of friction (COF)....
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Odor & Exempt Solvents
Jun 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
Requirements for low odor in flexible packaging change as new materials are introduced in printing and laminating operations. Retained solvent is the primary odor concern of the printer and converter, and tight odor standards are maintained for printed and laminated structures....
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A Look at Laminating Inks
May 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
Packaging inks come in all shapes and sizes and usually must meet unique performance requirements....
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Which Ink for Which Substrate?
Apr 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
Every new ink project begins with an analysis of the substrate to be printed. In just minutes, the complexity of the project can be estimated from the surface tension characteristics of the substrate....
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UV/EB a Bright Spot in Economy
Mar 1, 2005,
Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
Recent shortages of acrylic acid exemplify the problem of raw material supply and its impact on the price stability. Last year has seen various price increases in raw materials, and this trend is continuing into this year. As a result, it is anticipated raw material price fluctuations will negatively impact UV/EB products....
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Evolving Ink Jet Technology
Feb 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
T he concept of forming droplets of liquid in a stream was studied by Lord Kelvin and Lord Rayleigh and other technologists as early as the late 1800s. However, it was not until 1951 that it was patented for the first practical ink jet device based on Rayleigh’s concept....
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Water-Based Printing Inks & pH
Jan 1, 2005,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
In a water-based ink, many of the ink components contribute to the ink pH. For example, the common acrylic resins used in water-based inks are acidic. They are not soluble in water but are soluble when alkaline materials are added....
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Aniline printing—100 Years Later
Dec 1, 2004,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
Flexography evolved from a primitive printing process known as "aniline printing." In the early 1900s, this printing process took root to print flexible substrates using inks that were based on aniline-based dyes. Although the earliest use of aniline printing can be traced to 1860, the first patent for an aniline press was issued in 1908....
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Rotogravure an Evolving Process
Nov 1, 2004,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
Rotogravure printing evolved from the intaglio printing process, which still is used in specialty applications such as printing our currency. Rotogravure has been used since the beginning of the 20th century and still is considered the quality printing standard by which other printing processes are measured. It has unique characteristics that cannot be duplicated by other printing processes, including......
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Antimicrobials: On the Fast Track
Aug 1, 2004,
by Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D. Contributing Editor
If you have been to the store lately, you may have noticed the number of new products that provide antimicrobial protection. It might be an air filter,...
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How Dirty Is Your Money?
Jan 1, 2004,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
The words “dirty money” mean different things to different people. You may think of dirty money as money illegally earned, transferred, or used. Typically, this is money obtained from criminal or corrupt sources that makes its way into our commercial banking system. Most of this is “laundered,” a term that implies making dirty money clean....
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Hard Copies Keep Paper in Demand For Now
Oct 1, 2003,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
The origin of the word comes from the word Ancient Egyptians created this paper-like substance from papyrus reeds more than 6,000 years ago by taking...
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Ink Jet PigmentsThe Land of the Small
Aug 1, 2003,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
If you've ever had your ink jet-printed copy get wet, you saw all the inks became soluble and you had a mess on your hands....
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Phthalo Green: How Can You Tell If It's Always the Same?
Jul 1, 2003,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
Recently, a question came in from one of our readers (thank you, Joe Woods) as to how one can assure the copper phthalocyanine green pigment purchased from two suppliers is the same chemically....
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FTIR Spectroscopy Means Faster, More Reliable Analysis
Jun 1, 2003,
Dr. Richard M. Podhajny, Ph.D., Contributing Editor
Although I didn't appreciate it at the time, as I was going to college in the 1960s, major changes were taking place in analytical instrumentation....
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