1. Slurred Image or Fill-In
Your dots are elongated and reverse areas are filling in.
2. Print Crystallization
When dry trapping, succeeding colors do not take well or transfer to the first-down colors.
3. Inconsistent Print Density
You’re seeing color variation from sheet-to-sheet.
What it looks like

4. Dot Gain
You’re seeing heavy halftones – the solids may have the desired density, but background screens are too heavy.
What it looks like

5. Ink Drying on Rollers
This one is pretty self-explanatory—your ink is drying on the press rollers.
What it looks like

6. Ink Drying too Slowly
Your printed sheets are taking forever to dry.
What it looks like

7. Tinting
You can see a faint tint in non-image areas.
What it looks like

8. Ghosting
This can come in two forms:
a. Chemical:
Image from the opposite side of the sheet is showing through due to surrounding gloss difference
What it looks like

b. Mechanical:
Visible light and dark areas on the print
What it looks like

9. Print Hickies
These look like small dots surrounded by a halo in solid image areas.
What it looks like

11. Ink Misting
Ink mist is settling around your press.
What it looks like

12. Print Mottling
Your image areas are splotchy and uneven.
What it looks like

13. Paper Picking
Paper particles become loose, collect on the blanket and plate, and are now appearing in the print.
What it looks like

14. Piling
Paper particles and ink have built-up on your blankets and plates.
What it looks like

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
- Reduce ink with tack reducer or thin litho varnish
- Consult ink supplier and check ink grind
- Check/adjust packing to ensure kiss impression
- Run through an empty press unit on impression before printing
- Change paper to different mill run if possible
- Remix to manufacturer’s recommendations
15. Excessive Plate Wear
Your images are disappearing.
What it looks like

PROBABLE CAUSES
- Ink too strong for long runs (too thin ink film)
- Fountain solution too acidic
- Plate or blanket packing too high
- Ink may have poor grind
- Plate exposure too short or too long
- Abrasive paper particles
- Ink emulsification and poor transfer mistaken for plate wear
- The form roller is too tight against the plate
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
- Reduce ink strength and carry more ink
- Increase fountain solution pH
- Check plate and blanket packing to ensure kiss impression
- Check ink grind
- Change to a new and properly developed plate
- Change paper if possible
- Ask your local Wikoff team for ink emulsification tips
- Check form roller settings
16. Plate Scumming
Non-image areas are accepting ink and dot gain is increasing.
What it looks like

17. Ink Set-Off
Ink is offsetting to the next sheet.
What it looks like

18. Sheets Sticking
Printed sheets are sticking together.
What it looks like

19. Ink Stripping
Rollers aren’t accepting ink in certain areas.
What it looks like

20. Ink Emulsification
This can cause multiple problems including poor trapping, mushy dots, loss of gloss and plate scumming. On duplicator presses water or ink from roller can “bead up” and ink will not transfer or causes scumming.
What it looks like

21. Ink Trapping
You’re having trouble with poor wet trapping between colors.
What it looks like
