Offset ink: viscosity and fineness
Offset ink is a high-pigment, high-viscosity paste. It must stay stable on the roller train yet transfer and set cleanly on paper. Fineness matters: oversized agglomerates cause speckle and poor transfer. A typical ink process weighs, premixes, mills, and lets down - and the milling step sets the finish.
Why a basket mill fits offset ink
A basket mill is a strong fit for offset ink development and short runs. The immersed basket circulates the paste through media, delivers fine, even dispersion, and - because you rinse the basket, not a long chamber - changeover between colors is fast. That matters when you trial many ink shades. See basket mill operation and maintenance and reducing basket mill cleaning time.
Typical process setpoints
| Parameter | Typical target |
|---|---|
| Premix viscosity | Medium-high, paste-like |
| Bead size | 0.3-0.8 mm zirconia for fine ink |
| Disc tip speed | Moderate; watch heat |
| Fineness check | Hegman gauge per shade |
| Batch | Small to medium, trial-friendly |
Basket mill vs bead mill for ink
For high-volume news and publication ink, a continuous bead mill wins on throughput - see choosing a bead mill for ink and paint and the complete ink production line guide. For offset ink formulation, color matching, and pilot batches, the basket mill is often the faster lab-to-pilot tool. A deeper look is in ink production process deep dive.