EP4046815A1 - Composition comprising a resin - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a composition containing at least one resin, at least one hardener and water, characterized in that the water contains well water. The invention further relates to a method for determining the color value of at least one composition for at least one printing material and a method for printing a printing material with a printed decor comprising the steps
• Correction of the print data of the print decor with the color value of a composition for the printing material;
• applying a composition according to the invention to the printing material;
• Printing the printing material with a printed decor using the corrected print data of the printed decor;
wherein the composition is applied to the printing material before the printing material is printed and/or after the printing material is printed.

Description

field of invention

• Korrektur der Druckdaten des Druckdekors mit dem Farbwert einer Zusammensetzung für den Bedruckstoff;
• Aufbringen einer erfindungsgemäßen Zusammensetzung auf den Bedruckstoff;
• Bedrucken des Bedruckstoffes mit einem Druckdekor unter Verwendung der korrigierten Druckdaten des Druckdekors;

wobei die Zusammensetzung vor dem Bedrucken des Bedruckstoffes und/oder nach dem Bedrucken des Bedruckstoffes auf den Bedruckstoff aufgebracht wird.The invention relates to a composition containing at least one resin, at least one hardener and water, characterized in that the water contains well water. The invention further relates to a method for determining the color value of at least one composition for at least one printing material and a method for printing a printing material with a printed decor comprising the steps

• Correction of the print data of the print decor with the color value of a composition for the printing material;
• applying a composition according to the invention to the printing material;
• Printing the printing material with a printed decor using the corrected print data of the printed decor;

wherein the composition is applied to the printing material before the printing material is printed and/or after the printing material is printed.

description

The color is an essential feature of a printed decor, which is produced using various techniques such as gravure printing or digital printing. In each of these techniques, the desired appearance of the print is achieved by overlaying different layers of pigment of the primary colors. With digital printing, the printed image is transferred directly from a computer to a digital printer such as a laser printer or inkjet printer. The basic colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) are usually used. The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model, with the abbreviation CMYK standing for the three color components cyan, magenta, yellow and the black component key as the color depth. With this color system, a color space (gamut) can be mapped that satisfies many requirements from a wide variety of areas.

Printed decors are used, for example, in the production of floor laminate or in the form of wall and ceiling paneling elements. There are several approaches to decorating the wood-based panels. In the past, wood-based panels were often coated with a decorative paper, with the variety of decorative papers with different patterns being unlimited. As an alternative to the use of decorative papers on wood-based panels, the possibility of direct printing on wood-based panels has developed, with printing on paper and its subsequent laminating or direct coating on the wood-based panels being omitted. The printing techniques mainly used here are those already mentioned Rotogravure and digital printing processes. For the use of this printing process, the print decor is available as a digital template that depicts the colors and color distribution of the print decor.

The print decors or decors used are very diverse and are largely determined by the taste and demand of the customers. Common printed decors, in particular for floor laminates, are, for example, any wood, tile, stone, fancy decor or parquet imitations. Templates from nature are often used to produce these decors, which are applied to a printing material after digitization or after additional digital processing with software.

The printing inks used are a significant cost factor when printing printed decors. In this area, the manufacturers of printed decors are increasingly making efforts to use printing colors or printing inks as efficiently as possible in order to save costs in the production process.

For example, when printing decors on paper to produce so-called decor papers, papers with different paper base colors are used. The paper base color is selected according to a decor to be printed, since the paper base color influences the color impression of a decor printed on it. Certain decors can only be printed with a desired color effect and quality if paper with a specific base color is used.

The disadvantage of this method, however, is that papers with different paper base colors have to be kept available and stored in order to ensure a smooth production process. Storage capacities are tied up for this, all the more so the more different paper base colors have to be stored. Not infrequently, only small batches of certain basic paper colors are required, which have to be purchased at higher unit prices than would have to be paid when buying large batches. Purchase prices and storage capacities therefore reduce the profitability of the printing process.

Furthermore, resin compositions are used in several process steps in decorative printing. Before printing on a substrate, the substrate is usually primed. Primers or primers are used for this. Primers in the form of resin compositions are used in particular when processing wood-based panels as printing materials, in order to create a uniformly colored background for the subsequent print.

After printing substrates, in particular wood-based panels, a protective layer is generally applied to the substrate. This protective layer also consists of a resin composition and serves to increase the resistance of the printed substrate to wear. In addition, the protective layer can contain additives that can fulfill various functions.

If a paper is used as the printing material, it is impregnated with a resin composition after printing and thereby impregnated. On the one hand, the resin composition increases the resistance of the printed paper and, on the other hand, serves as an adhesive when the paper is pressed with a carrier material, such as a wood-based panel.

In principle, different materials can be used as substrates for decor printing. Typical printing materials are, for example, paper, glass, metal, foils, wood-based panels, in particular MDF or HDF panels, WPC panels, veneers, lacquer layers, plastic panels and inorganic support panels.

According to the prior art, the resin compositions used generally consist of a composition of synthetic resins, purified water and hardener. The aim here is for the resin compositions to have the least possible influence on the color effect of the printed decor. In order to ensure consistent quality of the resin compositions, purified water, in particular demineralized water or osmosis water, is used during production. Osmosis water is ultrapure water in which all disruptive substances such as salts of any kind, organic impurities and microorganisms are removed from the water by complex processes such as reverse osmosis, ion exchange, ultrafiltration, irradiation with UV light or similar.

Demineralized water, also referred to as deionized water, fully desalinated water (VE water) or deionate, is water without the salts found in normal spring and tap water, which are dissolved as anions and cations. It is obtained from drinking water, among other things, by ion exchange.

Great efforts are therefore made to ensure consistent quality of the resin compositions used, which increases the cost of manufacturing the resin composition.

Proceeding from the state of the art, it is the object of the present invention to optimize the printing process in decor printing in such a way that costs can be saved while the quality of the print result remains the same, thereby increasing the profitability of decor printing.

• mindestens ein Harz;
• mindestens einen Härter; und
• Wasser;

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Wasser Brunnenwasser enthält.This object is solved by the present invention by providing a composition comprising

• at least one resin;
• at least one hardener; and
• Water;

characterized in that the water contains well water.

• Auswahl von n Zusammensetzungen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, wobei n ∈ N und n ≥ 1;
• Auswahl von m Bedruckstoffen, wobei m ∈ N und m ≥ n ;
• Auftragen mindestens einer der n Zusammensetzungen auf mindestens einen der m Bedruckstoffe;
• Optional bedrucken mindestens eines der m Bedruckstoffe mit einem Druckdekor und/oder weiterverarbeiten des Bedruckstoffes in einer Presse;
• Vermessen mindestens eines Farbwertes mindestens eines der n Zusammensetzungen von mindestens einem Ausschnitt auf mindestens einem der m Bedruckstoffe;
• Bestimmung des mindestens einen Farbwertes mittels Software für mindestens eine der n Zusammensetzungen von mindestens einem Ausschnitt auf mindestens einem der m Bedruckstoffe;

zur Verfügung gestellt.Furthermore, a method for determining the color value of at least one composition for at least one printing material, comprising the steps

• Selection of n compositions according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein n ∈ N and n ≥ 1;
• Selection of m substrates, where m ∈ N and m ≥ n ;
• applying at least one of the n compositions to at least one of the m printing materials;
• Optionally, at least one of the m printing materials is printed with a printed decoration and/or the printing material is further processed in a press;
• Measuring at least one color value of at least one of the n compositions of at least one section on at least one of the m printing materials;
• Determination of the at least one color value using software for at least one of the n compositions of at least one section on at least one of the m printing materials;

made available.

• Korrektur der Druckdaten des Druckdekors mit dem Farbwert einer Zusammensetzung für den Bedruckstoff;
• Aufbringen einer Zusammensetzung gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7 auf den Bedruckstoff;
• Bedrucken des Bedruckstoffes mit einem Druckdekor unter Verwendung der korrigierten Druckdaten des Druckdekors;

wobei die Zusammensetzung vor dem Bedrucken des Bedruckstoffes und/oder nach dem Bedrucken des Bedruckstoffes auf den Bedruckstoff aufgebracht wird.In addition, a method for printing a printing material with a printed decoration, comprising the steps

• Correction of the print data of the print decor with the color value of a composition for the printing material;
• applying a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to the printing material;
• Printing the printing material with a printed decor using the corrected print data of the printed decor;

wherein the composition is applied to the printing material before the printing material is printed and/or after the printing material is printed.

composition

The present invention provides a composition comprising at least one resin, at least one hardener and water, the water including well water.

With resins, a distinction is made between natural resins and synthetic resins, with synthetic resins being widely used in industrial applications today. According to ISO 4618:2014, synthetic resins are resins produced by polymerisation, polyaddition or polycondensation reactions. Mixing resin with a hardener creates a reactive resin mass that can be further processed.

The composition according to the present invention has a resin selected from the group consisting of melamine resins, modified melamine resins, acrylate resins, polyurethane resins and urea resins or combinations of these.

Melamine resins are also referred to as melamine-formaldehyde resins and are resins based on the combination of melamine and formaldehyde. Modified melamine resins have other components, known modified melamine resins are, for example, melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins and melamine-phenol-formaldehyde resins. Melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins are particularly suitable for the composition according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one resin is a melamine resin or a modified melamine resin.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the composition has a combination of resins, which can be combinations of two to four, two to three or two resins.

Acrylate resins are also synthetic resins based on the polymerization or copolymerization of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and their esters. They are often copolymerized with other unsaturated monomers such as styrene or acrylonitrile. Acrylic resins can be thermally self-curing if they carry functional groups such as hydroxymethyl groups, or they are cured with other substances such as epoxy resins, (poly) isocyanates or amino resins crosslinked.

Polyurethane resins are synthetic resins that result from the polyaddition reaction of dialcohols (diols) or polyols with polyisocyanates and are used as casting resins.

Urea resins are produced as condensation products from urea (or urea derivatives) and aldehydes, in particular formaldehyde, and can be cured chemically or thermally.

According to the invention, the proportion of resin in the composition is between 60% by weight and 95% by weight, preferably between 75% by weight and 85% by weight, particularly preferably between 78% by weight and 82% by weight.

Furthermore, the composition has at least one hardener.

A latent hardener is preferably used as the hardener, such as alkanolamine salts of acids, e.g. an alkanolamine salt of a sulfonic acid (see DeuroCure from the manufacturer Deurowood). The addition of the latent hardener to the composition is preferably carried out immediately before the applicator, in order to avoid premature hardening of the resin and thus losses.

According to the invention, the proportion of hardener in the composition is between 0.05% by weight and 3.00% by weight, preferably between 0.10% by weight and 0.50% by weight, particularly preferably between 0.20% by weight and 0.25% by weight.

In addition, the composition includes water. According to the invention, this water is at least partially well water. Well water comes from underground water reservoirs and is therefore groundwater. Groundwater is formed wherever seeping water flows through cavities in the ground and encounters impermeable layers. This is where the water flowing in from above accumulates while it seeks a way to follow gravity further down.

On its way through the layers of earth, the water dissolves minerals from the soil and partially releases them again. The minerals contained in the reservoir rock, i.e. the subsoil through which it flows, largely determine the chemical components of the reservoir groundwater. The minerals such as manganese, chloride, sulphate and iron are dissolved in the groundwater, with their content varying depending on where the well water is taken from.

The use of well water in the composition according to the invention gives it a color value defined by the proportion of well water. The color value is caused by the chemical components of the well water, in particular the proportion of iron in the well water affects the color value of the composition according to the invention.

By using well water, the composition according to the invention will therefore be given a defined color value.

In a further embodiment, the composition contains not only well water but also at least one other water. This additional water can be selected from the group consisting of purified water, tap water, surface water and ultrafiltrate. The purified water can be demineralized water or osmosis water, for example. In this case, the composition comprises a mixture of well water and at least one other water. The mixture can be in any ratio. For example, mixing ratios between 99% by weight:1% by weight and 1% by weight:99% by weight well water:further water are possible. By mixing well water and other water, the mineral content and in particular the iron content of the water can be varied in the composition. The higher the proportion of well water in the composition, the greater the mineral content and thus the influence of the minerals on the color value of the composition according to the invention. The color value of the composition according to the invention can advantageously be influenced in this way.

The water of the composition according to the invention is therefore preferably well water or a mixture of well water and at least one other water.

According to the invention, the proportion of water in the composition is between 5% by weight and 40% by weight, preferably between 10% by weight and 30% by weight, particularly preferably between 18% by weight and 22% by weight.

The color value of the composition can also be influenced by adding pigments. Suitable pigments are pigments from the group of natural and/or synthetic pigments. The pigments make it possible to change the color value of the composition.

• Gelb: PY 150, PY 181
• Rot: PR 254, PR 207
• Blau: PC 15:4, PC 15:3
• Schwarz: PBI 7, Carbon Black

aufweisen oder Kombinationen dieser.In one embodiment of the present invention, the composition comprises pigments that are also present in printing inks and/or inks. In particular, the composition can contain individual pigments from the group

• Yellow: PY 150, PY 181
• Red: PR 254, PR 207
• Blue: PC 15:4, PC 15:3
• Black: PBI 7, Carbon Black

have or combinations of these.

In one embodiment, the composition according to the invention has pigments in the form of white pigments. White pigments are achromatic inorganic pigments with a high refractive index (greater than 1.8), which are mainly used to create optical whiteness in paints or as fillers in e.g. B. plastics can be used. White pigments according to the invention can be selected from the group comprising titanium dioxide, lithopone, barium sulphate, zinc oxide, zinc sulphide and calcium sulphate. Lithopone is a white pigment containing barium sulfate and zinc sulfide. According to the invention, titanium dioxide is preferably used as the white pigment in the composition, since titanium dioxide has the highest refractive index and thus the highest hiding power among the known white pigments.

In one embodiment, the composition therefore also has at least one pigment. It is also possible that the composition according to the invention has a mixture of several pigments.

If the composition according to the invention has pigments, their proportion in the composition is between 0.01% by weight and 3.00% by weight, preferably between 0.10% by weight and 1.00% by weight, particularly preferably between 0 .25% by weight and 0.50% by weight. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the proportion of pigments in the composition is ≦1% by weight.

In a further embodiment, the composition also has additives. The additives are preferably selected from the group containing abrasion-resistant particles, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, conductive substances, flame retardants, luminescent substances, metals, wetting agents, release agents, surfactants, surfactant mixtures and/or defoamers.

The abrasion-resistant particles are preferably selected from the group containing aluminum oxides, corundum, boron carbides, silicon dioxides, silicon carbides and glass beads. In particular, fibers selected from the group consisting of wood fibers, cellulose fibers, wool fibers, hemp fibers and organic or inorganic polymer fibers are used as natural and/or synthetic fibers.

The conductive substances can be selected from the group containing soot, carbon fibers, metal powder and nanoparticles, in particular carbon nanotubes. Combinations of these substances can also be used. Phosphates, borates, in particular ammonium polyphosphate, tris(tribromoneopentyl)phosphate, zinc borate or boric acid complexes of polyhydric alcohols are preferably used as flame retardants. Fluorescent and/or phosphorescent substances on an inorganic or organic basis, in particular zinc sulfite and alkaline earth metal aluminates, are preferably used as luminescent substances.

Suitable release agents, such as Sicol RI, are known to those skilled in the art. If the composition according to the invention has release agents, their proportion in the composition is according to the invention between 0.05% by weight and 0.50% by weight, preferably between 0.07% by weight and 0.20% by weight, particularly preferably between 0 .08% by weight and 0.15% by weight.

If the composition according to the invention contains surfactants or surfactant mixtures, their proportion in the composition is between 0.05% by weight and 0.50% by weight, preferably between 0.07% by weight and 0.20% by weight, particularly preferably between 0.08% and 0.15% by weight. Suitable surfactants and surfactant mixtures, such as Alton ES 700, are known to those skilled in the art.

If the composition according to the invention has wetting agents, their proportion in the composition is according to the invention between 0.05% by weight and 0.50% by weight, preferably between 0.07% by weight and 0.20% by weight, particularly preferably between 0 .10% by weight and 0.15% by weight.

If the composition according to the invention has additives, their proportion in the composition is between 0.05% by weight and 3.00% by weight according to the invention.

• 60 Gew.% bis 95 Gew.% mindestens eines Harzes;
• 0,05 Gew.% bis 3,00 Gew.% mindestens eines Härters; und
• 5 Gew.% bis 40 Gew.% Wasser;

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Wasser Brunnenwasser enthält.This results in the following embodiments of the composition according to the invention:
In a preferred embodiment, the composition according to the invention has the following components:

• 60% to 95% by weight of at least one resin;
• 0.05% to 3.00% by weight of at least one hardener; and
• 5% to 40% by weight water;

characterized in that the water contains well water.

• 60 Gew.% bis 95 Gew.% mindestens eines Harzes;
• 0,05 Gew.% bis 3,00 Gew.% mindestens eines Härters;
• 0,01 Gew.% bis 3,00 Gew.% Pigmente; und
• 5 Gew.% bis 40 Gew.% Wasser;

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Wasser Brunnenwasser enthält.In a further preferred embodiment, the composition according to the invention has the following components:

• 60% to 95% by weight of at least one resin;
• 0.05% to 3.00% by weight of at least one hardener;
• 0.01% to 3.00% by weight pigments; and
• 5% to 40% by weight water;

characterized in that the water contains well water.

• 60 Gew.% bis 95 Gew.% mindestens eines Harzes;
• 0,05 Gew.% bis 3,00 Gew.% mindestens eines Härters;
• 0,01 Gew.% bis 3,00 Gew.% mindestens eines Pigments;
• 0,05 Gew.% bis 3,00 Gew.% mindestens eines Additivs; und
• 5 Gew.% bis 40 Gew.% Wasser;

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Wasser Brunnenwasser enthält.In a particularly preferred embodiment, the composition according to the invention has the following components:

• 60% to 95% by weight of at least one resin;
• 0.05% to 3.00% by weight of at least one hardener;
• from 0.01% to 3.00% by weight of at least one pigment;
• 0.05% to 3.00% by weight of at least one additive; and
• 5% to 40% by weight water;

characterized in that the water contains well water.

As already described above, mixing ratios between 99% by weight: 1% by weight and 1% by weight: 99% by weight well water: additional water are possible.

Surprisingly, it has been shown that the composition according to the invention is suitable for use as a resin composition for priming, impregnation and/or for applying a protective layer in decorative printing. The color value of the composition advantageously influences the color impression of the printed decor.

It is also advantageous that, in the production of the composition according to the invention, the use of water other than well water, in particular purified water, can be dispensed with entirely or at least partially. The well water used instead, at least in part, is significantly cheaper and thus increases the cost-effectiveness of the printing process. In the manufacturing and processing industry, water is required for numerous production steps. The internal water requirement is almost exclusively provided by the company's own extraction systems. For this purpose, numerous industrial plants have their own wells in order to cover at least part of their water requirements with groundwater. Advantageously, the well water is already available and the present invention enables further economic use of this resource.

Method for determining the color value

In order to use the composition according to the invention as efficiently as possible in decorative printing, the color value of the composition on a specific printing material must be known. The invention therefore provides a method for determining the color value of at least one composition on at least one printing material.

In a first step, n compositions according to the invention are selected, where n∈N and n ≧ 1. Furthermore, m printing materials are selected, where m∈N and m ≧ n .

As already mentioned, decorative prints are made on various substrates. Suitable substrates for the purposes of the present invention are paper, glass, metal, foils, wood-based panels, in particular MDF or HDF panels, WPC panels, veneers, lacquer layers, plastic panels and inorganic support panels.

In a further process step, at least one of the n compositions is applied to at least one of the m printing materials.

In one embodiment, the n compositions differ from one another in their components or in the proportions of the components contained therein, with which the color value can be determined for different compositions. According to the invention, the n compositions are applied to m printing materials, it being possible for the m printing materials to all be the same type of printing material or also different types of printing materials.

In a further embodiment, n compositions are applied to m printing materials, the n compositions all being the same in their composition and the m printing materials differing from one another in their type.

It is therefore advantageously possible with the method according to the invention to determine the color value for different combinations of compositions and printing materials according to the invention.

Depending on the type of printing material, the composition according to the invention is suitable for use as a primer, as an impregnation and/or as a protective layer. When used as a primer, the composition is applied to the substrate before decorative printing. On the other hand, if the composition is used as a protective layer or impregnation, it is applied after the decorative printing. In one embodiment of the invention, a composition according to the invention is applied to the printing material both before decorative printing as a primer and after decorative printing as a protective layer. The composition according to the invention, which is applied to the printing material as a primer, can be the same composition that is applied to the printing material as a protective layer, although the compositions preferably differ from one another.

The composition according to the invention can be used as a primer and/or as a protective layer, in particular when wood-based panels are used as the printing material.

In a further embodiment, the printing material is impregnated with the composition according to the invention after the decorative printing, as a result of which the printing material is impregnated with the composition. This applies in particular when paper is used as the printing material.

According to the invention, the at least one composition can therefore be applied to the at least one printing material as a primer, as an impregnation and/or as a protective layer.

According to the invention, the printing material that is selected in the method can be provided with a printed decoration or also have no printed decoration. If the printing material has a printed decoration or is provided with this, then the color value that is determined using the present method is not only of that according to the invention composition and the substrate, but also on the printed decor applied.

In one embodiment of the invention, a composition is applied as a primer to a printing material and the printing material is then optionally provided with a printed decoration. The printed decor is preferably applied using the digital printing process. Furthermore, optionally, the printing material can be further processed in a press, preferably in a KT press.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, a printing material is provided with a printed decoration and at least one composition according to the invention is applied to the printing material. The composition is preferably applied as an impregnation or protective layer of the printing material.

Optionally, after the protective layer has been applied or after impregnation, the printing material can be further processed in a press, preferably in a KT press.

At least one color value of at least one of the n compositions of at least one section on at least one of the m printing materials is then measured. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the color values are measured using an optical measuring system or using hyperspectral measurement.

Optical measurement systems are, for example, camera systems that work with optical lenses. Hyperspectral measurements can be performed using a hyperspectral system, such as a hyperspectral camera, or preferably using a hyperspectral scanner. A corresponding method for generating hyperspectral images is known in the prior art as ^ACMS® (Advanced Color Measurement System). Hyperspectral systems have a large number of detectors. The result of the recording is a hyperspectral data cube with two spatial and one spectral dimension. Four basic techniques are available to create this hyperspectral data cube. With a so-called snapshot, the entire dataset is delivered with a single detector output. With spatial scanning, each detector output provides the spectrum of a narrow strip of the template. With spectral scanning, each detector output provides a monochromatic, spatial map of the template. With spatial-spectral scanning, each detector output provides a spectrally encoded spatial map of the template.

According to the invention, a section or several sections of the printing material provided with the at least one composition can be measured, or else the entire area of the printing material that has been provided with the at least one composition.

According to the invention, at least one color value for at least one of the n compositions of at least one section on at least one of the m printing materials is determined using suitable software. Suitable software, such as the Colorgate software from the company of the same name, is known to the person skilled in the art.

If several sections of the printing material are measured, in one embodiment of the present invention a color value is calculated for each section, which color value is then representative of this section. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a color value is measured for a plurality of sections of the printing material and an average value is formed from the determined color values, which is representative of the composition used on the printing material used.

• auf einem mit einer Zusammensetzung grundierten Bedruckstoff, ohne dass auf die Grundierung ein Dekordruck aufgebracht wird;
• auf einem mit einer Zusammensetzung grundierten Bedruckstoff, auf den anschließend ein Dekordruck aufgebracht wird;
• auf einem mit einem Dekor bedruckten Bedruckstoff, der mit einer Zusammensetzung beschichtet wurde;
• auf einem mit einer ersten Zusammensetzung grundierten Bedruckstoff, auf den anschließend ein Dekordruck aufgebracht wird und welcher mit der ersten oder einer zweiten Zusammensetzung beschichtet wird;
• auf einem mit einem Dekor bedruckten Bedruckstoff, der mit einer Zusammensetzung imprägniert wurde.

According to the invention, at least one color value of the at least one composition according to the invention can thus be determined on differently processed printing materials, in particular

• on a substrate primed with a composition without applying a decorative print to the prime;
• on a substrate primed with a composition, to which a decorative print is then applied;
• on a substrate printed with a decor which has been coated with a composition;
• on a substrate primed with a first composition, to which a decorative print is then applied and which is coated with the first or a second composition;
• on a substrate printed with a decor that has been impregnated with a composition.

It turns out that the color values of the compositions depend on their composition and the proportions of the components contained. In particular, the proportion of well water and the proportion of additional pigments have an impact on the color value of the composition. As already described, the minerals in the well water have a visible effect on the color value of the composition. Through a controller The proportion of well water and/or added pigments allows the color value of the composition to be changed in a targeted manner, so that a color value desired for decorative printing can be set. It has been shown to be advantageous that ink can be saved in this way in decorative printing. The combination of the composition according to the invention and decorative printing with a reduced amount of ink results in an end product whose print quality is similar to the print results using conventional printing techniques (no reduced amount of ink in the print, conventional resin compositions).

Advantageously, large cost savings are achieved with the present invention. On the one hand, the use of well water enables greater economic efficiency, since on the one hand it is more cost-saving compared to the use of purified water, and on the other hand the minerals contained in the composition already achieve a certain color value, so that the additional addition of pigments is reduced to a minimum may or may not be necessary. On the other hand, ink can be saved in the printing process due to the color value of the composition according to the invention, which in turn leads to a cost reduction of the printing process.

If the method for determining the color value is carried out for compositions with different ingredients and/or on different printing materials, then the color values of the respective composition can be determined on the respective printing material. In one embodiment, the color values assigned to the respective composition and to a specific printing material can be stored in a data memory as a library. With this method, each composition according to the invention can be profiled with regard to its color value on a specific printing material. In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, as many compositions according to the invention as possible are made available for profiling, these differing from one another in the content of their ingredients. The compositions are then applied to a printing material in so-called color patches and their color value is then measured. As already described, the measurement of the color patches can be carried out using any suitable measurement method known from the prior art. For example, hyperspectral scanning of the color fields is suitable in order to determine their color value. In such a color profiling, 500 to 3000 color patches are usually measured. In this way, the possible achievable color space for the profiled compositions according to the invention can be determined.

Process for printing a printing material

Since the composition according to the invention, as already described, has an effect on the color impression of a printed decoration, the composition can be used advantageously in a method for printing a printing material.

The invention therefore also provides a method for printing a printing material with a printed decoration.

In a method step, the print data of the printed decoration are corrected with the color value of a composition for the respective printing material. Since the color values of the composition according to the invention depend on its components and their respective proportions, a composition is preferably selected which supports the color impression of a specific printed decoration the most. Advantageously, the print data of the printed decoration can therefore be changed on the basis of the color value of the composition in such a way that less ink has to be used for printing the printed decoration.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the color value of a composition is known by the method according to the invention for determining the color value of at least one composition for at least one printing material. Color values for compositions with different ingredients can be stored in a library, for example. Different printing materials can also be taken into account in this. However, the color value of a composition can also be made available in other ways.

Furthermore, a composition according to the invention is applied to the printing material and the printing material is printed with a printed decoration using the corrected print data of the printed decoration. According to the invention, the composition is applied to the printing material before the printing material is printed and/or after the printing material is printed. The composition can therefore be applied as a primer, impregnation and/or protective layer.

In one embodiment of the present method, at least one primer layer is applied to the side to be printed of a printing material, in particular a wood-based panel, before printing with a printed decoration, which is then dried and/or partially cured. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one composition according to the invention is used as primer layer applied. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, at least one lacquer or one radiation-curable filler is applied as a primer layer. For example, 1K/2K acrylate, UV and/or ESH fillers are suitable. A UV filler consists advantageously essentially of UV-curable paint components, pigments, reactive diluents and free-radical generators as chain initiators.

In this case, the amount of filler applied can be 50 to 150 g/m ² , preferably 50 to 100 g/m ² . The amounts given refer to a 100% filler.

It is also possible that the filler used for priming is pigmented, which means that the printing result can be varied or improved.

If the printing material is a wood-based panel, the side of the wood-based panel to be printed is preferably sanded before the primer is applied.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one composition according to the invention is used as a primer. In a preferred embodiment, when used as a primer, the composition has pigments, in particular white pigments.

In one embodiment of the present method, at least one layer of a pigmented primer in the form of a composition according to the invention is applied to the side of the printing material to be printed before at least one side of a printing material, in particular a wood-based panel, is printed. The pigmented primer can either be applied directly to the untreated surface of the printing material or to a previously applied, preferably transparent, primer. A composition according to the invention can serve as the transparent primer, or else a transparent primer provided in some other way.

The pigmented primer can also be applied in more than one layer, for example in 3 to 10 layers, preferably in 5 to 8 layers, particularly preferably in 7 layers, after each layer application the pigmented primer being dried in, for example, a convection dryer or a near-infrared dryer is dried. The pigmented Primer preferably contains at least one pigment of a light color, more preferably at least one white pigment.

The amount of a composition according to the present invention applied as a primer can be between 10 and 80 g/m ² , preferably 20 and 50 g/m ² . The solids content of the composition is then between 30 and 80%, preferably 40 and 60%, particularly preferably 55%. The composition can additionally contain suitable wetting agents, hardeners, release agents and defoamers.

In one embodiment of the invention, after the composition according to the invention has been applied to a wood-based material board as a primer for the same, it is dried to a moisture content of 10%, preferably 6%, e.g. in a convection oven or near-infrared oven.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, at least one protective layer in the form of a composition according to the invention is applied to the printed decoration, preferably in two or three layers and comprising abrasion-resistant particles, natural fibers, synthetic fibers and/or other additives, the resins contained such as melamine Formaldehyde resin, urea-formaldehyde resin, acrylate resins and polyurethane resins also act as suitable binders.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the printing material that has been printed and provided with a composition is fed to a short-cycle (KT) press for further processing, in particular including the application of a structure.

In a further embodiment of the present method, the printed material, which is optionally provided with a protective layer, is further processed or finished in a short-cycle (KT) press. The composition is melted in the KT press and the composite layer is cured to form a laminate. During further processing in the KT press, surface structures can also be produced in the surface of the printing material such as a wood-based panel using a structured pressing plate, which can optionally be designed to match the decor (so-called decor-synchronous structure). With wood decors, the structures can be in the form of pore structures that follow the grain. In the case of many decors, the structures can be indentations in the area of the joints, filling lines encompassed by the decor.

The present invention can therefore be used advantageously in decorative printing, in that ink can be saved in the printing process and, in addition, a composition for priming, impregnation and/or coating is made available that does not require the addition of purified water or at least minimizes its proportion.

Furthermore, the present invention makes it possible to dispense with the use of papers with different basic paper colors. With the methods from the prior art, it is generally not possible to print certain decorations on paper with a white base color in satisfactory color quality. In order to influence the color impression of a decorative print, papers with different basic colors are used, as already described, which reinforce the color impression of such a decorative print, or often make a high-quality print possible in the first place. However, the use of colored papers has several disadvantages:
Colored papers are more expensive than white papers because the unit price is already higher than that of white papers and these are bought in smaller quantities. Colored papers require additional storage capacity, and it is not uncommon for different colors of paper to be used for different decor prints. Each color must then be kept in stock in order to ensure that the printing process runs as smoothly as possible.

By using the composition according to the invention as a primer, impregnation and/or coating in decorative printing, however, it is possible to print printed decorations on white papers which have been primed, impregnated and/or coated with a composition according to the invention and to achieve a qualitatively equivalent printing result. compared to the prior art printing methods on papers with a paper base color. This enormously increases the profitability of the printing process, since fewer types of paper have to be kept in stock, as other types/paper colors can be simulated. Costs can be saved because less high-priced types/paper colors are purchased, which can otherwise only be purchased in small quantities. A standard type of decorative paper, eg white, could be modified as desired. This standard type of paper can be purchased in larger quantities and therefore at a lower unit price. Another advantage is that decors printed in this way are easier to impregnate, since fewer pigments have to be used in the print. As a result, the paper has more open pores, which means that compositions according to the invention applied after printing can penetrate better during impregnation. Larger amounts of the composition according to the invention are absorbed by the paper, which in turn leads to a better result in of pressing with the KT press. The end product is therefore less prone to graying.

Furthermore, in the production of decor prints, color drifts in the printed decor can occur during the printing process. These can be corrected with the present invention during the printing process. If color drifts are detected, the composition can be adjusted during the printing process in such a way that a color drift is compensated for by the color value of the composition. Advantageously, the quality in the printing process can thus be constantly maintained without the print data of the decoration having to be changed and thus, under certain circumstances, more printing ink having to be used.

A color drift can be determined, for example, by measuring the color values of different print decors printed in a printing process (e.g. by hyperspectral scanning) and calculating similarity indices for these color values. The similarity index represents the color deviation between different color values. The higher the similarity index, the less the color values deviate from each other.

By accessing the color values stored in a library for each profiled composition according to the invention, deviations from the similarity index that are above a tolerance range to be defined by the user can be used to adapt the ingredients of the composition according to the invention during the ongoing printing process.

If it is not possible to adjust the composition to compensate for a color drift, a warning message and/or a warning signal can also be output which signals that a correction is not possible.

Not only can color drifts be corrected with this method, but a composition according to the invention can also be adapted or selected in order to achieve a desired or specified color value on a printing material and thus achieve a high-quality result in decorative printing.

Figur 1

stellt eine Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens dar;

Figur 2

stellt eine Anwendung des Erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens im Dekordruck dar.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to two figures and 3 exemplary embodiments.

figure 1

represents an embodiment of a method according to the invention;

figure 2

represents an application of the inventive method in decorative printing.

figure 1 Figure 10 represents an embodiment of a method according to the invention. A composition 10 according to the invention with well water, a resin composition with osmosis water 20 and a resin composition with tap water 30 are provided. The proportions of the components resin, hardener and water are the same in all compositions 10, 20, 30. The composition 10 according to the invention, the resin composition with osmosis water 20 and the resin composition with tap water 30 are each applied as a protective layer to a printing material 50, 51, 52, the printing materials 50, 51, 52 all being printed materials of the same type, e.g treated in the same way (same primer) and printed with the same decor.

Tap water differs in its composition from well water, since tap water is obtained not only from groundwater, but also from surface water and ultrafiltrate. In addition, tap water is pre-treated so that it meets the applicable legal requirements for the ingredients of tap water.

After the protective layer has dried, a color value 80, 90, 100 is measured 60 for each printing material 50, 51, 52. This can be done with the aid of an optical measuring system or by means of hyperspectral measurement. The measurement data are stored on a computing unit 70 and processed further. The color values 80, 90, 100 are determined from the measured values by means of suitable software on the computing unit 70. A comparison of the color values 80, 90, 100 shows that the color value 90, which for the printing material 50 to which a protective layer of a composition 10 according to the invention was applied, supports the color impression of the decor printed on the printing material the most. Corrected print data for the printed decoration are calculated with the aid of the arithmetic unit 71, so that the use of printing ink can be reduced in comparable further printing processes (same printing material 53, same composition according to the invention) of this printed decoration. End products, in the form of printing materials provided with a printed decoration, can thus be produced more economically in comparison to the printing methods from the prior art.

figure 2 represents an application of the method according to the invention in decor printing. Papers 200, 210 are used as printing materials in this application. The paper 200 is a paper with a paper base color, for example brown decor paper, as is often used when printing floor decors. The paper 210, on the other hand, is white paper.

The colored paper 200 and the white paper 210 are provided with the same decorative print and then impregnated with the same composition 220 according to the invention. The printed and impregnated decorative papers can then be processed further, for example by pressing with another carrier material, such as a wood-based panel. Measurement data for the color values of both impregnated decor papers are determined using optical systems or hyperspectral measurements. The color values for both decorative papers are determined and compared with one another in the computing unit 70 . The deviation of the color values between the two decorative papers is determined, for example, using a similarity index. The higher the similarity index, the less the color values of the two decorative papers differ from each other.

According to the method according to the invention for determining a color value, a large number of compositions according to the invention with different ingredients can be profiled with regard to their color value on a specific printing material. By accessing color values stored in such a library for profiled compositions according to the invention, an adapted composition 221 can be proposed for use in the decorative print if there are deviations from the similarity index that are above a tolerance range to be defined by the user. The adjusted composition 221 achieves the desired matching of the color values.

The adapted composition 221 is provided and in addition the print data of the print decoration are adapted to the adapted composition 221 . A white paper 211 is then provided with a print decor using the adjusted print data 230 and impregnated with the adjusted composition 221 . The impregnated printed decorative paper is then further processed in the same way as decorative papers 200 and 210 after impregnation. There are now two end products 240, 250, with end product 240 being created using colored paper and end product 250 using white paper, adjusted print data 230 and adjusted composition 221. A comparison of the color values of both end products shows that these do not differ. With the method according to the invention it is therefore possible to replace paper with a paper base color in decor printing with white paper, which can be used universally for printing various printed decors with the method according to the invention. This reduces the costs in the printing process, since no paper with a certain basic paper color has to be kept in stock and instead white paper can be bought in larger quantities and therefore more cheaply can. Storage capacities are also saved. By adapting the print data of the decor print, less ink is required for the decor print, which also leads to cost savings.

If it is not possible to determine an adapted composition 221, a warning message and/or a warning signal can also be output which signals that a correction is not possible.

Embodiment 1-ink saving I

• 80 Gew.% Melamin-Formaldehyd-Harz
• 0,2 Gew.% Härter
• 0,1 Gew.% Netzmittel
• 0,1 Gew.% Alton ES 700
• 0,1 Gew.% Trennmittel Silcon RI
• 19,5 Gew.% Brunnenwasser

A paper was printed with a wood decor on a digital paper printing system and then impregnated with a conventional resin composition. The resin composition contained only osmosis water as the aqueous component. The wood decor was then printed once more on a paper of the same type. The printed decor was impregnated with a composition according to the invention, the aqueous component of which consisted exclusively of well water. Melamine-formaldehyde resin was used as the resin. The well water had a high iron content of 5 mg/litre. The composition according to the invention had the following components:

• 80% by weight melamine-formaldehyde resin
• 0.2% by weight hardener
• 0.1% by weight wetting agent
• 0.1% by weight Alton ES 700
• 0.1% by weight release agent Silicone RI
• 19.5% by weight well water

Both impregnates were immediately dried, pressed on a laboratory press and measured with a hyperspectral measuring device. The evaluation of the measured color values revealed that the iron-containing well water in the composition according to the invention brought about a clearly measurable intensification of the color effect of the decoration.

In order to achieve the same measurable color impression with a conventional resin composition with osmosis water, further tests with more ink application had to determine that an additional application of printing ink of 16% was necessary. Ie that by using the iron-rich well water, an ink cost saving of approx. 16% was possible.

Embodiment 2-ink saving II

• 80 Gew.% Melamin-Formaldehyd-Harz
• 0,2 Gew.% Härter
• 0,1 Gew.% Netzmittel
• 0,1 Gew.% Alton ES 700
• 0,1 Gew.% Trennmittel Silcon RI
• 19,5 Gew.% Brunnenwasser

versehen wurde.A typical dark wood decor was produced on a paper digital printing press, with a composition consisting of:

• 80% by weight melamine-formaldehyde resin
• 0.2% by weight hardener
• 0.1% by weight wetting agent
• 0.1% by weight Alton ES 700
• 0.1% by weight release agent Silicone RI
• 19.5% by weight well water

was provided.

The composition was impregnated on a hand impregnation line with white decorative paper to be used for printing. It was then dried and pressed on your laboratory press and measured with a hyperspectral measuring device. Furthermore, a paper with a typical brownish paper base color was hand-impregnated with the same composition, pressed and hyperspectrally measured. Both results were compared with each other using software and an adjusted composition was calculated. The composition was to be modified by adding pigments in such a way that a paper with a brownish base color could be simulated.

• 80 Gew.% Melamin-Formaldehyd-Harz
• 0,2 Gew.% Härter
• 0,1 Gew.% Netzmittel
• 0,1 Gew.% Alton ES 700
• 0,1 Gew.% Trennmittel Silcon RI
• 1 Gew.% Pigmente
• 18,5 Gew.% Brunnenwasser

An adjusted composition with 1% by weight of pigments was provided. The pigments are composed of 43% by weight PY 150, 34% by weight PY 181, 12% by weight PR 254, 3% by weight PC 15:4 and 8% by weight PBI 7. The adjusted composition consisted of:

• 80% by weight melamine-formaldehyde resin
• 0.2% by weight hardener
• 0.1% by weight wetting agent
• 0.1% by weight Alton ES 700
• 0.1% by weight release agent Silicone RI
• 1% by weight pigments
• 18.5% by weight well water

Impregnating the white paper with the adjusted composition resulted in a color impression that was measured to be 98% similar to the brownish paper.

The print data for a print decor was then corrected with the color values of the adjusted composition and a white paper was printed with the decor using the corrected print data and then impregnated with the adjusted composition.

The application of ink for the decor could be significantly reduced by 26% compared to decor printing on white paper without impregnation with the adjusted composition. The amount of ink applied to the decor was 8.29 ml/m ² for this decor. The ink price was €25/litre. The decor is produced with 1 million m ² per year (8,290 I ink = €207,250 per year). This means annual ink savings for this decor of around €53,885.

Exemplary embodiment 3 correction of color drift in the print by pigmenting the composition in further processing

During the production of printed decors on wood-based panels, hyperspectral measurements were used to determine a color drift in the decor between successive printed decors after the printed decor had been applied. The composition of the protective layer applied to the wood-based panels after decor printing was then adjusted. The adjustment made it possible to completely compensate for the color drift between successive print decors.

Reference List

10, 220

composition according to the invention

20

reverse osmosis water

30

tap water

50, 51, 52

substrate

70, 71

unit of account

80, 90, 100

color value

200

colored paper

210, 211

White paper

221

adjusted composition

230

customized print data

240, 250

end products

Claims (14)

Composition (10) comprising • at least one resin; • at least one hardener; and • Water; characterized in that the water contains well water. Composition (10) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one resin is selected from the group consisting of melamine resins, modified melamine resins, acrylate resins, polyacrylate resins and urea resins and combinations of these. Composition (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one hardener is a latent hardener and in particular comprises alkanolamine salts of acids. Composition (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water is well water or the water is a mixture of well water and at least one purified water. Composition (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composition (10) further comprises at least one pigment. Composition (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composition (10) further comprises at least one additive, wherein the at least one additive is preferably selected from the group containing abrasion-resistant particles, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, conductive substances, flame retardants , luminescent substances, metals, wetting agents, release agents and/or defoamers. Method for determining the color value of at least one composition (10) for at least one printing material (50), comprising the steps • selection of n compositions (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein n ∈ N and n ≥ 1; • selection of m printing materials (50), where m ∈ N and m ≥ n ; • applying at least one of the n compositions (10) to at least one of the m printing materials (50); • Optionally, at least one of the m printing materials (50) is printed with a printed decoration and/or further processing of the printing material (50) in a press; • measuring at least one color value of at least one of the n compositions (10) of at least one section on at least one of the m printing materials (50); • Determining the at least one color value using software for at least one of the n compositions (10) of at least one section on at least one of the m printing materials (50). Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the at least one color value is measured using an optical measuring system or using hyperspectral measurement. Method according to one of Claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the at least one composition (10) is applied to the at least one printing material (50) as a primer, as an impregnation and/or as a protective layer. Method according to one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the at least one printing material (50) is or will be provided with a printed decoration or has no printed decoration. Method according to one of Claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the at least one color value of the at least one composition is stored in a data memory on at least one printing material. Method for printing a printing material (50) with a printed decoration, comprising the steps • Correction of the print data of the printed decor with the color value of a composition (10) for the printing material (50); • applying a composition (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to the printing material (50); • Printing the printing material (50) with a printed decor using the corrected print data of the printed decor; wherein the composition is applied to the printing material (50) before the printing material (50) is printed and/or after the printing material (50) is printed. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that the printed printing material (50) is fed to a short-cycle (KT) press for further processing, in particular including structuring. Method according to one of Claims 7 to 13, characterized in that the printing material (50) is selected from a group containing paper, glass, metal, foils, wood-based materials, in particular MDF or HDF boards, WPC boards, veneers, lacquer layers, Plastic panels and inorganic carrier panels.

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