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Easiest way to make stainless steel printing plates hydrophilic?

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO INCREASE THE HYDROPHILIC PROPERTIES ON STAINLESS STEEL PRINTING PLATES?

JAMES R WESTPHAL

2006

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Coat it with a hydrophilic layer such as oil, PTFE, wax etc. Need more details as to what you want to do and what the plate will be used for.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2006

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First of three simultaneous responses --

Sorry - got my philics mixed up with phobics - ignore my last submission!

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2006

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Second of three simultaneous responses --

I suspect that you want the plates to pick-up some kind of ink and at the same time be resistant to the constant friction of a wiper or blade? If so, I have my doubts about the previous response. The recommended materials won't hold up well and are hydrophobic not hydrophilic. I would try a thorough cleaning and a brief immersion in concentrated hydrochloric acid to remove a very thin layer of the chrome constituents and oxides present on the surface. Good luck.

Guillermo Marrufo

2006

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Third of three simultaneous responses --

Trevor, Isn't what you recommend hydrophobic and not hydrophillic?

James Watts
Navarre, Florida
2006

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WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS REPLACE THE 1 TIME USE OF ALUMINUM PLATES,ON THE OFFSET PRESS, THAT WE USE FOR WHAT WE CALL DUMMIES. THEY GO ON THE PRESS IN THE NON PAGE LOCATIONS TO PICK UP WATER SO THE INK DOESN'T BUILD UP ON THE EMPTY PLATE CYLINDERS. WE USE ABOUT $2500.00 WORTH OF ALUMINUM DUMMIES A MONTH. THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY PRESS RUN BECAUSE THEY CRACK WHERE THEY LOCK UP IN THE CYLINDER OVER TIME. WE HAVE TRIED STAINLESS AND IT DOESN'T CRACK BUT DOESN'T CARRY WATER WELL. SO I NEED TO MAKE THE STAINLESS PLATES HYDROPHILIC LIKE THE ALUMINUM PLATES IF POSSIBLE.

Jerry Laurelli

2006

Try a very light but very thorough sand blast with very fine (320 mesh or finer) aluminum oxide. If my previous recommendation didn't work maybe this will.

Guillermo Marrufo

2006

I would try 400 grit rather than 320. Use a greater gun to part distance and lower the air pressure. You are looking for a faint haze, not a visibally rough surface. In my opinion. You can always make it rougher later.

James Watts
Navarre, Florida
2006

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Thank you for all the great ideas, sounds like the aluminum oxide might work. Any idea where we may be able to get such a mesh (320-400, the finest mesh I am able to find is a 220.

James R Westphal

2006