2023 Summer Course
NAPIM’s 2023 Summer Course, taking place July 17–21, is a joint effort between ink companies and NAPIM’s Technical Associate Members (TAMs) providing a unique learning experience for new and seasoned ink technicians to gain in-depth instruction on the various industry-related subject matter. The Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics at Clemson University will provide a “state of the art” venue featuring excellent instructional resources in flexographic, lithographic, and gravure printing. The move to the Sonoco Institute has allowed NAPIM to expand its course coverage to include sessions on digital printing and electronic ink development.
Presented by leading experts, this is the only program available that not only covers ink application and printing processes but the regulatory issues affecting printing ink in both the manufacturing and printing environments. Understanding these issues as they relate to compliance is critically important.
Breaking News!
For 2023 significant improvements are under development, including expansion of the digital ink coverage, hands-on session demonstrating the formulation and construction of an ink system, and other changes. Please contact George Fuchs for additional information.
Tentative Schedule
| Date | Start Time | Session |
| Monday 7/17 | 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM | Graphic Arts Printing Ink Industry Overview | |
| 1:30 PM | Print Processes Intro | |
| 2:30 PM | Substrates – Paper Properties & Printability | |
| 3:30 PM | Regulatory Overview | |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner | |
| 6:00 PM | Fundamentals of Carbon Black | |
|
Tuesday 7/18 |
8:00 AM | Lithographic Print Process |
| 9:00 AM | Fountain Soln/Press Room Chems | |
| 10:00 AM | Break | |
| 10:30 AM | Principles of Dispersion | |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch | |
| 12:30 PM | Organic/Inorganic Pigments, Metallic & Special Effect Colorants | |
| 1:30 PM | Printability/Proofing Demo | |
| 2:00 PM | Energy Cure (UV, EB, LED…) Curing mechanisms, equipment, chemistry | |
| 3:00 PM | Break | |
| 3:30 PM | Printed Electronics (concurrent) | |
| 3:30 PM | Digital Press Demo (concurrent) | |
| 4:30 PM | New Tech Inkjet | |
| 6:00 PM | Open Night (no group dinner) | |
| Wednesday 7/19 | 8:00 AM | Litho Paste Ink Vehicle Composition |
| 9:00 AM | Litho Paste Ink Composition | |
| 10:00 AM | Break | |
| 10:30 AM | Formulating Litho Inks & Vehicles | |
| 11:30 AM | Inkometer Testing Demo | |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch | |
| 1:00 PM | Introduction to Color Matching and Color Management | |
| 2:00 PM | Offset Press Demo (Bus)three groups (concur 19,20,21) | |
| 2:00 PM | Principles of Rheology & Practical Applications (concur 19,20,21) | |
| 2:00 PM | Viscosity Demo (concurrent 19,20,21) | |
| 6:00 PM | Open Night (no group dinner) | |
| Thursday 7/20 | 8:00 AM | Flexo & Gravure Solvent Vehicle Composition |
| 9:00 AM | Flexo & Gravure Water Based Ink & Vehicle Composition | |
| 10:00 AM | Break | |
| 10:30 AM | Formulating Flexo & Gravure Vehicles and Inks | |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch | |
| 12:30 PM | Flexo/Gravure Print Processes (concurrent with 26) | |
| 12:30 PM | Flexo Press Demo (concurrent with 25) | |
| 2:30 PM | Break | |
| 3:00 PM | Liquid Inks Additives | |
| 4:00 PM | Flexo Plate Making/Mounting(concurrent) | |
| 4:00 PM | Anilox Discussion/Application(concurrent) | |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner | |
| Friday 7/21 | 8:30 AM | Coatings - Aqueous, Energy Cure, Conventional Sheetfed) |
| 9:30 AM | Film Substrates | |
| 10:30 AM | Break | |
| 10:45 AM | Troubleshooting 1 (Paste Inks) | |
| 11:30 AM | Troubleshooting 2 (Liquid Inks) | |
| 12:15 PM | Review Feedback - Formal Q&A (Other NAPIM Classes/Tech Conference) | |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch |
