Public Funding for Domino Printing Sciences Public Limited Company

Domino Printing Sciences are partnering with ASTUTE to model the factors which affect drop formation and breakup in ink jet printing which uses a roll to roll manufacturing process. Computational modelling is required to understand the factors which affect the formation of fine ink droplets or mist which can be detrimental to print quality. The formation of ink drops is a complex process and is extremely difficult to visualise at the very high frequencies of the print heads. Modelling the drop formation will be used to inform ink formulation to deliver solutions for improved printing reliability. Digital printing is a growing industry offering reductions in ink, energy and substrate usage compared to traditional analogue printing. Improving printing reliability will enable Domino to grow in the expanding digital printing market.

The objectives of this work are to develop colorants extracted from natural resources to produce ink formulations that have good adhesion to the eggshell, with excellent water fastness, with no penetration of the colorant into the egg interior, coupled with good reliability in an inkjet printer. These will be formulated to promote rapid drying times to provide the high print definition required for barcoding, enabling an increase in the information placed on an egg. If successful, this project will enable novel food grade products, which contain dyes supplied from a UK source, to be manufactured within the UK and sold globally. These naturally-derived colorants will afford a reduced environmental and toxicological impact, compared to currently available products. The technology will ensure that durable codes exist on the eggshell, which will enhance security, safety, and traceability for this food product. These inks will offer the end user the opportunity of increased brand differentiation both between their product lines and with their competitors.