SIST ISO 2834-2:2016

Graphic technology - Laboratory preparation test prints - Part 2: Liquid printing inks

This part of ISO 2834 specifies a test method for preparation of test prints produced with liquid waterbased
or solvent-based printing inks as used in flexography and gravure printing. These test prints are
intended primarily for optical tests, such as gloss, colorimetry, transparency and reflection density.
They can also be used for testing light fastness and the chemical, physical and mechanical resistance
to mechanical and chemical attack regarding either printing ink and/or substrate. Flexographic inks
with higher viscosity, such as those cured by radiation, are also covered. This part of ISO 2834 is not
applicable to inks for ink jet printing.

Technologie graphique - Préparation en laboratoire des impressions d'essai - Partie 2: Encres d'impression liquides

Grafična tehnologija - Laboratorijska izdelava preskusnih odtisov - 2. del: Tekoče tiskarske barve

Ta del standarda ISO 2834 določa preskusno metodo za pripravo preskusnih odtisov s tekočimi tiskarskimi barvami na osnovi vode ali topil, ki se uporabljajo pri fleksotisku in globokem tisku. Ti preskusni odtisi so namenjeni predvsem za optične preskuse, kot so sijaj, kolorimetrija, prosojnost in gostota odseva. Uporabljajo se lahko tudi za preskušanje svetlobne obstojnosti ter kemične, fizikalne in mehanske odpornosti na mehanske in kemične udare v povezavi s tiskarskimi črnili in/ali podlago. Področje uporabe zajema tudi fleksotiskarska črnila z višjo viskoznostjo (npr. črnila, ki se odpravljajo s sevanjem). Ta del standarda ISO 2834 se ne uporablja za črnila za brizgalno tiskanje.

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 06-Apr-2016
• Withdrawal Date: 19-Feb-2023
• ICS: 87.080 - Inks. Printing inks
• Technical Committee: GRT - Graphical technology
• Current Stage: 9900 - Withdrawal (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 30-Jan-2023
• Due Date: 22-Feb-2023
• Completion Date: 20-Feb-2023
• Ref Project: ISO 2834-2:2015 - Graphic technology — Laboratory preparation test prints — Part 2: Liquid printing inks

Relations

• Replaces: SIST ISO 2834-2:2008 - Graphic technology - Laboratory preparation test prints - Part 2: Liquid printing inks
• Effective Date: 01-May-2016
• Replaced By: SIST ISO 2834-2:2023 - Graphic technology - Laboratory preparation of test prints - Part 2: Liquid printing inks
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
01-maj-2016
1DGRPHãþD
SIST ISO 2834-2:2008
*UDILþQDWHKQRORJLMD/DERUDWRULMVNDL]GHODYDSUHVNXVQLKRGWLVRYGHO7HNRþH
WLVNDUVNHEDUYH
Graphic technology - Laboratory preparation test prints - Part 2: Liquid printing inks
Technologie graphique - Préparation en laboratoire des impressions d'essai - Partie 2:
Encres d'impression liquides
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ISO 2834-2:2015
ICS:
87.080 Barvila. Tiskarske barve Inks. Printing inks
SIST ISO 2834-2:2016 en
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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SIST ISO 2834-2:2016

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SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 2834-2
Second edition
2015-05-15
Graphic technology — Laboratory
preparation test prints —
Part 2:
Liquid printing inks
Technologie graphique — Préparation en laboratoire des
impressions d’essai —
Partie 2: Encres d’impression liquides
Reference number
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)
©
ISO 2015

---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2015, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Test method . 2
4.1 Principle . 2
4.2 Apparatus and quality requirements. 2
4.2.1 Apparatus . 2
4.2.2 Quality requirements for printability testers . 4
4.3 Materials . 5
4.3.1 Printing ink . 5
4.3.2 Printing substrate . 5
4.4 Test conditions . 5
4.4.1 Climatic conditions . 5
4.4.2 Printing speed and printing pressure . 5
4.4.3 Drying . 6
4.4.4 Determination of ink film coverage and ink film thickness . 6
5 Procedure. 7
6 Test report . 7
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved iii

---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT), see the following URL: Foreword — Supplementary information.
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 2834-2:2007), which has been
technically revised.
ISO 2834 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Laboratory
preparation of test prints:
— Part 1: Paste inks
— Part 2: Liquid printing inks
— Part 3: Screen printing inks
iv © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

Introduction
This part of ISO 2834 describes the test print preparation of liquid inks (gravure and flexography).
These test prints have a homogeneous distribution of ink on a substrate, a reproducible ink composition
and relative ink coverage. Therefore, they are suitable for optical tests so that the measured reflectance
can be assigned to a known ink coverage. If tests are done only for mechanical and chemical resistance,
the user may apply less accurate methods. The preparation of test prints for paste inks (lithography) is
described in ISO 2834-1, while screen inks are covered in ISO 2834-3.
In ISO 2834-1, specific operational settings for the “round-to-round” and the “round-to-flat” offset ink
printability testers are provided. Printability testers for liquid inks encompass a much wider array of
operating processes and associated settings. Therefore, the guidelines included in ISO 2834-2 are more
general and will, of necessity, result in more opportunities for operator error in making the test prints.
This revised version of ISO 2834-2 was developed to incorporate an ink coverage and an dry ink film
thickness determination and to remove the references to ISO 2846-3 and ISO 2846-5.
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved v

---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016

---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 2834-2:2015(E)
Graphic technology — Laboratory preparation test prints —
Part 2:
Liquid printing inks
1 Scope
This part of ISO 2834 specifies a test method for preparation of test prints produced with liquid water-
based or solvent-based printing inks as used in flexography and gravure printing. These test prints are
intended primarily for optical tests, such as gloss, colorimetry, transparency and reflection density.
They can also be used for testing light fastness and the chemical, physical and mechanical resistance
to mechanical and chemical attack regarding either printing ink and/or substrate. Flexographic inks
with higher viscosity, such as those cured by radiation, are also covered. This part of ISO 2834 is not
applicable to inks for ink jet printing.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 187, Paper, board and pulps — Standard atmosphere for conditioning and testing and procedure for
monitoring the atmosphere and conditioning of samples
ISO 2431, Paints and varnishes — Determination of flow time by use of flow cups
ISO 13655, Graphic technology — Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for graphic arts images
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
anilox roller
chromium plated or a ceramic roller with evenly distributed small cells generally mounted on a
flexographic printing press to control the quantity of ink transferred to the printing forme
3.2
extender
transparent material (varnish or polymer solution) used to reduce the colorant concentration while
maintaining viscosity to adapt ink colour concentration to print substrates
3.3
printing forme for flexography
cylinder or sleeve covered with a relief type rubber or photopolymer plate for application of printing ink
to print substrate
3.4
printing forme for gravure
mechanically engraved or laser-engraved or chemically etched cylinder, sleeve or plate for application of
printing ink to a print substrate
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved 1

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SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

3.5
printing ink
composite material containing colorants, functional components, vehicle and additives
Note 1 to entry: In most cases, it is applied as a fluid to a substrate by a printing process and setting or drying
by either physical (evaporation) and/or chemical (polymerizations e.g. oxidation, radiation induced, or other)
processes in order to form an image for decorative, informative or technical purposes.
3.6
printability tester
device for uniformly applying a reproducible amount of ink to a substrate under specified conditions
3.7
retarder
additive to reduce the evaporation speed of the solvent in a liquid ink to prevent drying during the
application of ink to the substrate
3.8
test-ready ink
printing ink of the appropriate composition and viscosity for the purpose of the test
4 Test method
4.1 Principle
Using a printability tester, the gravure or flexographic printing ink is applied consistently and uniformly
on the chosen substrate.
NOTE 1 Test samples for mechanical and chemical resistance tests can be prepared using any technique resulting
in a uniform ink film in a desired thickness range. Ink film thicknesses different from those used in practice will
have a strong influence on the results of such tests. These methods are not covered by this part of ISO 2834.
NOTE 2 Due to differences between a printing press and a laboratory printability tester, prints produced on a
laboratory printability tester can be different in appearance and in ink film thickness from commercial prints. To reach
the same colour strength or print density, different settings from the actual press settings are generally required.
4.2 Apparatus and quality requirements
4.2.1 Apparatus
Any printability tester specifically designed for liquid printing inks of the type to be tested, liquid
printing ink (solvent, water or radiation cured), substrate and drying apparatus may be used as long
as the resulting printed ink film is uniform and at the required ink film thickness. Test conditions and
variables associated with such equipment and materials shall be agreed upon between parties since
variations in design and process have a strong influence on the test results and comparability of the
properties of the test sample.
4.2.1.1 Printability tester
To ensure repeatable operation, the printability tester shall provide motorized control of the ink
transfer function. It is not practical to duplicate exactly a commercial production printing process in the
laboratory. However, it is possible to duplicate results between two laboratories. The chosen laboratory
printability tester must provide a consistent, uniform printed ink film at the required ink film thickness.
To achieve this control, the printing speed and the pressure or impression (for flexography) between the
printing forme and printing substrate shall be adjustable and shall be constant and uniform during the
printing process.
2 © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 10 ----------------------

SIST ISO 2834-2:2016
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

For gravure, the Shore hardness of the pressure roller as well as the use of an electrostatic printing ai
...

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 2834-2
Redline version
compares Second edition to
First edition
Graphic technology — Laboratory
preparation test prints —
Part 2:
Liquid printing inks
Technologie graphique — Préparation en laboratoire des impressions
d’essai —
Partie 2: Encres d’impression liquides
Reference number
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)
©
ISO 2015

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)

IMPORTANT — PLEASE NOTE
This is a mark-up copy and uses the following colour coding:
Text example 1 — indicates added text (in green)
— indicates removed text (in red)
Text example 2
— indicates added graphic figure
— indicates removed graphic figure
1.x . — Heading numbers containg modifications are highlighted in yellow in
the Table of Contents
All changes in this document have yet to reach concensus by vote and as such should only
be used internally for review purposes.
DISCLAIMER
This Redline version provides you with a quick and easy way to compare the main changes
between this edition of the standard and its previous edition. It doesn’t capture all single
changes such as punctuation but highlights the modifications providing customers with
the most valuable information. Therefore it is important to note that this Redline version is
not the official ISO standard and that the users must consult with the clean version of the
standard, which is the official standard, for implementation purposes.
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2015, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Test method . 2
4.1 Principle . 2
4.2 Apparatus and quality requirements. 2
4.2.1 Apparatus . 2
4.2.2 Quality requirements for printability testers . 5
4.3 Materials . 5
4.3.1 Printing ink.  . 5
4.3.2 Printing substrate.  . 6
4.4 Test conditions . 6
4.4.1 Climatic conditions . 6
4.4.2 Printing speed and printing pressure . 6
4.4.3 Drying . 6
4.4.4 Determination of ink film coverage and ink film thickness . 6
5 Procedure. 7
6 Test report . 8
Bibliography . 9
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved iii

---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards areThe procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its
further maintenance are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval
criteria needed for the different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted
in accordance with the rules given ineditorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.
org/directives).
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies
casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT), see the following URL: Foreword — Supplementary information.
ISO 2834-2 was prepared by Technical CommitteeThe committee responsible for this document is
ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
This firstsecond edition of ISO 2834-2 together with ISO 2834-1:2006 cancels and replaces the third
edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 2834:1999-2:2007), which has been technically
revised. It also incorporates its Technical Corrigendum, ISO 2834:1999/Cor. 1:2003).
ISO 2834 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Laboratory
preparation of test prints:
— Part 1: Paste inks
— Part 2: Liquid printing inks
— Part 3: Screen printing inks
iv © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)

Introduction
This part of ISO 2834 describes the test print preparation of liquid inks (gravure and flexography). These
test prints have a homogeneous distribution of ink on a substrate, and a reproducible ink composition
and relative ink coverage. Therefore, they are suitable for optical tests so that the measured reflectance
can be assigned to a known ink coverage. If tests are done only for the characterization of mechanical
and/or chemical properties of links chemical resistance, the user may apply less accurate methods. The
methods described in this part of ISO 2834 are used in other International Standards, such as ISO 2846-3,
ISO 2846-5 and ISO 2836. The preparation of test prints for paste inks (lithography) is described in
ISO 2834-1, whilstwhile screen inks will beare covered in ISO 2834-3.
In ISO 2834-1, specific operational settings for the “round-to-round” and the “round-to-flat” offset ink
printability testers are provided. Printability testers for liquid inks encompass a much wider array
of operating processes and associated settings. In addition, it is generally acknowledged that it is not
possible to directly determine the actual thickness of an ink film printed by gravure or flexography.
Therefore, the guidelines included in this part of ISO 2834-2 are more general and will, of necessity,
result in more opportunities for operator error whenin making the test prints.
This revised version of ISO 2834-2 was developed to incorporate an ink coverage and an dry ink film
thickness determination and to remove the references to ISO 2846-3 and ISO 2846-5.
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved v

---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)
Graphic technology — Laboratory preparation test
prints —
Part 2:
Liquid printing inks
1 Scope
This part of ISO 2834 specifies a test method for preparation of test prints produced with liquid water-
based or solvent-based printing inks as used in flexography and gravure printing. These test prints
are intended primarily for optical tests, such as gloss, colorimetry, transparency and reflection density
as described in ISO 2846-3 and ISO 2846-5. They can also be used for testing gloss, light fastness and
the chemical, physical and mechanical resistance to mechanical and chemical attack regarding either
printing ink and/or substrate. Flexographic inks with higher viscosity, such as those cured by radiation,
are also covered. This part of ISO 2834 is not applicable to inks for ink jet printing.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documentsdocuments, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this
document and are indispensable for the application of this documentits application. For dated references,
only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document
(including any amendments) applies.
ISO 187, Paper, board and pulps — Standard atmosphere for conditioning and testing and procedure for
monitoring the atmosphere and conditioning of samples
ISO 2431, Paints and varnishes — Determination of flow time by use of flow cups
ISO 2846-3 13655, Graphic technology — Colour and transparency of printing ink sets for four-colour-
printing — Part 3: Publication gravure printing Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for
graphic arts images
ISO 2846-5, Graphic technology — Colour and transparency of printing ink sets for four-colour printing —
Part 5: Flexographic printing
ISO 14981, Graphic technology — Process control — Optical, geometrical and metrological requirements
for reflection densitometers for graphic arts use
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
anilox roller
roller with a chromium- chromium plated or a ceramic surface roller with evenly distributed small cells
generally mounted on a flexographic printing press to control the quantity of ink transferred to the
printing forme
3.2
extender
transparent material (varnish or polymer solution) used to reduce the colorant concentration while
maintaining viscosity to adapt ink colour concentration to print substrates
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved 1

---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)

3.3
printing forme for flexography
cylinder or sleeve covered with a relief type rubber or photopolymer plate for application of printing ink
to print substrate
3.4
printing forme for gravure
mechanically engraved or laser-engraved or chemically-  etched cylinder, sleeve or plate for application
of printing ink to a print substrate
3.5
printing ink
composite material containing colorants, functional components, vehicle and additives
Note 1 to entry: In most cases, it is applied as a fluid to a substrate by a printing process and setting or drying
by either physical (evaporation) and/or chemical (polymerizations e.g. oxidation, radiation induced, or other)
processes in order to form an image for decorative, informative or technical purposes.
3.5 3.6
printability tester
device for uniformly applying a reproducible amount of ink to a substrate under specified conditions
3.6 3.7
retarder
additive to reduce the evaporation speed of the solvent in a liquid ink to prevent drying during the
application of ink to the substrate
3.7 3.8
test-ready ink
printing ink of the appropriate composition and viscosity for the purpose of the test
4 Test method
4.1 Principle
Using a printability tester, the gravure or flexographic printing ink is applied consistently and uniformly
on the chosen substrate.
NOTE 1 Test samples for the characterization of mechanical and/or chemical properties of inks chemical
resistance tests can be prepared using any technique resulting in a uniform ink film in a desired thickness range.
Ink film thicknesses different from those used in practice will have a strong influence on the results of such tests.
These methods are not covered by this part of ISO 2834.
NOTE 2 Due to differences between a printing press and a laboratory printability tester, prints produced on
a laboratory printability tester can be different in appearance and in ink film thickness from commercial prints.
To reach the same colour strength or print density, different settings from the actual press settings are generally
required.
4.2 Apparatus and quality requirements
4.2.1 Apparatus
Any printability tester specifically designed for liquid printing inks of the type to be tested, liquid
printing ink (solvent, water or radiation cured), substrate and drying apparatus may be used as long
as the resulting printed ink film is uniform and at the required ink film thickness. Test conditions and
variables associated with such equipment and materials shall be agreed upon between parties since
variations in design and process have a strong influence on the test results and comparability of the
properties of the test sample.
2 © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:redline:2015(E)

4.2.1.1 Printability tester.
To ensure repeatable operation, the printability tester shall provide motorized control of the ink
transfer function. It is not practical to duplicate exactly a commercial production printing process in the
laboratory. However, it is possible to duplicate results between two laboratories. The chosen laboratory
printability tester must provide a consistent, uniform printed ink film at the required ink film thickness.
To achieve this control, the printing speed and the pressure or impression (for flexography) between the
printing forme and printing substrate shall be adjustable and shall be constant and uniform during the
printing process.
For gravure, the Shore hardness of the pressure roller as well as the use of an electrostatic print
...

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 2834-2
Second edition
2015-05-15
Graphic technology — Laboratory
preparation test prints —
Part 2:
Liquid printing inks
Technologie graphique — Préparation en laboratoire des
impressions d’essai —
Partie 2: Encres d’impression liquides
Reference number
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)
©
ISO 2015

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2015, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Test method . 2
4.1 Principle . 2
4.2 Apparatus and quality requirements. 2
4.2.1 Apparatus . 2
4.2.2 Quality requirements for printability testers . 4
4.3 Materials . 5
4.3.1 Printing ink . 5
4.3.2 Printing substrate . 5
4.4 Test conditions . 5
4.4.1 Climatic conditions . 5
4.4.2 Printing speed and printing pressure . 5
4.4.3 Drying . 6
4.4.4 Determination of ink film coverage and ink film thickness . 6
5 Procedure. 7
6 Test report . 7
© ISO 2015 – All rights reserved iii

---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT), see the following URL: Foreword — Supplementary information.
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 2834-2:2007), which has been
technically revised.
ISO 2834 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Laboratory
preparation of test prints:
— Part 1: Paste inks
— Part 2: Liquid printing inks
— Part 3: Screen printing inks
iv © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

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ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

Introduction
This part of ISO 2834 describes the test print preparation of liquid inks (gravure and flexography).
These test prints have a homogeneous distribution of ink on a substrate, a reproducible ink composition
and relative ink coverage. Therefore, they are suitable for optical tests so that the measured reflectance
can be assigned to a known ink coverage. If tests are done only for mechanical and chemical resistance,
the user may apply less accurate methods. The preparation of test prints for paste inks (lithography) is
described in ISO 2834-1, while screen inks are covered in ISO 2834-3.
In ISO 2834-1, specific operational settings for the “round-to-round” and the “round-to-flat” offset ink
printability testers are provided. Printability testers for liquid inks encompass a much wider array of
operating processes and associated settings. Therefore, the guidelines included in ISO 2834-2 are more
general and will, of necessity, result in more opportunities for operator error in making the test prints.
This revised version of ISO 2834-2 was developed to incorporate an ink coverage and an dry ink film
thickness determination and to remove the references to ISO 2846-3 and ISO 2846-5.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 2834-2:2015(E)
Graphic technology — Laboratory preparation test prints —
Part 2:
Liquid printing inks
1 Scope
This part of ISO 2834 specifies a test method for preparation of test prints produced with liquid water-
based or solvent-based printing inks as used in flexography and gravure printing. These test prints are
intended primarily for optical tests, such as gloss, colorimetry, transparency and reflection density.
They can also be used for testing light fastness and the chemical, physical and mechanical resistance
to mechanical and chemical attack regarding either printing ink and/or substrate. Flexographic inks
with higher viscosity, such as those cured by radiation, are also covered. This part of ISO 2834 is not
applicable to inks for ink jet printing.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 187, Paper, board and pulps — Standard atmosphere for conditioning and testing and procedure for
monitoring the atmosphere and conditioning of samples
ISO 2431, Paints and varnishes — Determination of flow time by use of flow cups
ISO 13655, Graphic technology — Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for graphic arts images
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
anilox roller
chromium plated or a ceramic roller with evenly distributed small cells generally mounted on a
flexographic printing press to control the quantity of ink transferred to the printing forme
3.2
extender
transparent material (varnish or polymer solution) used to reduce the colorant concentration while
maintaining viscosity to adapt ink colour concentration to print substrates
3.3
printing forme for flexography
cylinder or sleeve covered with a relief type rubber or photopolymer plate for application of printing ink
to print substrate
3.4
printing forme for gravure
mechanically engraved or laser-engraved or chemically etched cylinder, sleeve or plate for application of
printing ink to a print substrate
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ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

3.5
printing ink
composite material containing colorants, functional components, vehicle and additives
Note 1 to entry: In most cases, it is applied as a fluid to a substrate by a printing process and setting or drying
by either physical (evaporation) and/or chemical (polymerizations e.g. oxidation, radiation induced, or other)
processes in order to form an image for decorative, informative or technical purposes.
3.6
printability tester
device for uniformly applying a reproducible amount of ink to a substrate under specified conditions
3.7
retarder
additive to reduce the evaporation speed of the solvent in a liquid ink to prevent drying during the
application of ink to the substrate
3.8
test-ready ink
printing ink of the appropriate composition and viscosity for the purpose of the test
4 Test method
4.1 Principle
Using a printability tester, the gravure or flexographic printing ink is applied consistently and uniformly
on the chosen substrate.
NOTE 1 Test samples for mechanical and chemical resistance tests can be prepared using any technique resulting
in a uniform ink film in a desired thickness range. Ink film thicknesses different from those used in practice will
have a strong influence on the results of such tests. These methods are not covered by this part of ISO 2834.
NOTE 2 Due to differences between a printing press and a laboratory printability tester, prints produced on a
laboratory printability tester can be different in appearance and in ink film thickness from commercial prints. To reach
the same colour strength or print density, different settings from the actual press settings are generally required.
4.2 Apparatus and quality requirements
4.2.1 Apparatus
Any printability tester specifically designed for liquid printing inks of the type to be tested, liquid
printing ink (solvent, water or radiation cured), substrate and drying apparatus may be used as long
as the resulting printed ink film is uniform and at the required ink film thickness. Test conditions and
variables associated with such equipment and materials shall be agreed upon between parties since
variations in design and process have a strong influence on the test results and comparability of the
properties of the test sample.
4.2.1.1 Printability tester
To ensure repeatable operation, the printability tester shall provide motorized control of the ink
transfer function. It is not practical to duplicate exactly a commercial production printing process in the
laboratory. However, it is possible to duplicate results between two laboratories. The chosen laboratory
printability tester must provide a consistent, uniform printed ink film at the required ink film thickness.
To achieve this control, the printing speed and the pressure or impression (for flexography) between the
printing forme and printing substrate shall be adjustable and shall be constant and uniform during the
printing process.
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ISO 2834-2:2015(E)

For gravure, the Shore hardness of the pressure roller as well as the use of an electrostatic printing aid
shall be agreed upon and specified. For flexography, the anilox roller (see also 4.2.1.3) and the type of
blade or doctoring device shall be agreed upon and specified.
4.2.1.2 Printing formes
4.2.1.2.1 Gravure printing forme
These may be produced by electromechanical engraving, laser engraving or etching. Printing formes
can contain solid and tinted areas. The design of printing formes can either be of a standard layout
with a designation of the supplier of the printability tester or special with respect to customer needs.
Printin
...