High quality process ink set helps reduce makeready times, improve reproduction, deliver more consistency, and increase overall productivity. To determine how far the current set goes towards these goals, printers should consider an in-house ink test. A well-structure test can help highlight the right ink by quantifying its performance in a way that no sales brochure can. This article provides guidance on how to set up an in-house ink test. Characteristics to look for in the recommended procedures include: gray balance, ink/water balance, trapping, dot gain, print contrast, hue error, gloss, and setting and drying speeds.

Source: Graphic Arts Monthly, August 1998, pp. 66-67