Air humidification in the printing industry
Air humidification for print shops
Optimum humidity is an important production factor for print shops. Serious disruption to the production process can occur in offset printing, digital printing, rotary printing and in the packaging industry without additional air humidification:
If paper is too dry during processing at low humidity, electrostatic charges are created. The paper sticks together and stops running smoothly through the printing press. This also applies to synthetic materials such as PVC or polypropylene.
If humidity in the paper storeroom or print shop is too low, the material releases moisture into the room. This leads to unwanted changes in the dimensions of the paper. The paper then is no longer perfectly flat and cannot be processed efficiently. Doubling, register differences, wrinkling and distortion are difficulties frequently encountered as a result of low humidity.
Optimum levels of relative air humidity are assured year around with direct room air humidification. This helps to standardise the printing process, reduce spoilage, prevent machine stoppages, shorten production times and cut costs. The optimum equilibrium moisture for processing paper is between 50% and 60% of relative humidity.
Additional benefit: standardised process water
As an added benefit, the pure water produced for the air humidification can also be used as standardised process water to supply the printing presses in offset printing. Purified water protects the printing machines from corrosion, reduces operating costs and ensures consistent print quality:
"We have been relying on DRAABE air humidification for many years now."