Notes from the lab

Six pieces of information that turn a three-iteration development into a one-iteration one.

A threshold, not a gradient. The single most common cause of unexplained seasonal quality problems in water-based coating.

Why printed film sticks to itself, and the four levers that actually move the problem.

Why the number of reactive groups per molecule decides cure speed, hardness, flexibility and — unexpectedly — adhesion.

Oxygen inhibition explained, and why an amine synergist is usually a better answer than more lamp power.

An honest comparison of where water-based systems now compete, and where the solvent gap is still real.

Work through the substrate before you touch the formulation. Most film adhesion failures are not ink problems.

Adhesion, block resistance and flexibility pull against each other in packaging ink. A practical framework for deciding where your binder should sit.