The Dampening Solution
The printing process of lithography requires that a thin layer of dampening solution, composed primarily of water, be applied to the plate surface. The lithographic printing plate has properties that make it ink receptive in image areas and water receptive in nonimage areas. The wet dampening film applied by the dampening system serves the repel ink from the nonimage areas of the plate.
The dampening systems that carry dampening solution the plate vary more widely in design than to inking systems. This chapter describes the characteristic of dampening solutions and presents the major options in dampening systems along with common operation features.
Edit by Vikas
15 April, 2012
