Abstract: A system for calibrating engraving heads used for engraving gravure printing cylinders determines a mean cell volume for cells forme din a test cut in a printing cylinder. The system of the present invention includes a procedure of cutting two or more test cuts in each printing cylinder. One of the test cuts is at the light end of the cylinder and the second is at he dark end. The morphological characteristics of a plurality of cells in each of the test cuts is measured, and morphological parameter values of the cell sin the test cut are computed. These morphological parameter values are compared with predetermined morphological parameter values, and each engraving head is adjusted in accordance with this comparison to cut the desired values within an acceptable tolerance band. The desired average values can be adjusted to take into account new inks, papers, batch variation in inks and papers, and diamond wear in the engraving head.

Abstract: An improved waterbased gravure ink includes an additive package. The ink exhibits reduced volatile organic compound content and improved printability as compared to conventional waterbased gravure inks. A method of printing using the ink includes the steps of introducing the ink into cells of a printing surface and applying the ink in the cells to a printing substrate, the printing surface being made using about a 120.degree. to 150.degree. diamond and about 120 to about 300 lines per inch.

Abstract: A dryer for a freshly printed web from a gravure printing press achieves greatly improved performance as compared with prior art dryers by the use of the following novel structure and operating features:(1) Air drawn into the dryer housing through the web inlet slot and heated air from nozzles in the upstream part of the housing, which air removes a great percentage of the solvent vaporized from the ink, goes directly to exhaust.(2) Heated air from nozzles in the downstream part of the housing, and air drawn into the housing through the web outlet slot, goes to the blower and heater for recirculation through the nozzles. That air removes only residual solvent and thus has only a low concentration of vaporized solvent.The foregoing features assure a very low solvent vapor concentration in the heated air.(3) Make-up air goes directly to the blower and the heater from an adjustable air intake.(4) The velocity of air impinging the web is maintained at or about 12,000 f.p.m.