Case Study: Ink “Drop Out” on Paper

THE PROBLEM:

A manufacturer of paper products needed to discover why ink would show “drop outs” when their customers printed on their product.

THE ANALYSES:

Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the latest digital imaging techniques, MVA Scientific Consultants performed a comprehensive investigative analysis by taking coating thickness measurements of 30 cross-sectioned paper samples.

THE OUTCOME:

The coating thickness measurements provided by MVA Scientific Consultants were used by the paper manufacturer to identify the cause of the dropouts: poor paper coating quality. Furthermore, the coating quality and thickness was correlated with processing parameters to enable process optimization and the elimination of coating defects.

The manufacturer was able to correct the problem and prevented the potential loss of customers.