Measure it: If you don’t measure it. it’s worthless

Is not just Kolorguide: The Graphic Arts Authorities Demand It

We are often asked if we are being too strict by insisting that surface tension be measured every shift, on every roll, and before every ink application.

The answer is simple: We aren’t the ones saying it; the manufacturers of the technology you use every day are.

At Kolorguide, we have compiled the official positions of the industry giants, and they all reach the same conclusion: If you don’t measure, you don’t have control.

📌 What do the authorities say?

• PANTONE (X-Rite): In their latest guidelines, they are clear: for color to be predictable and consistent, the substrate must be validated. They state that every time ink is applied, surface tension must be verified. Without perfect wetting, the color you see is not the color you printed.
• SUN CHEMICAL: In their quality control manuals, they establish that surface energy must be monitored with every roll and batch change. For them, it is a mandatory step in incoming material inspection to ensure the ink chemistry “wets” the material properly.
• FLINT GROUP: In their Troubleshooting guides, they point out that verification must be done “press side.” They warn that relying on the supplier’s label is a risk, as the treatment is perishable and decays over time and due to humidity.
• FTA (Flexographic Technical Association): In the FIRST manual (the flexography bible), they classify surface tension as a Critical Control Point that must be validated at the start of every job to avoid adhesion defects.

💡 The Kolorguide Conclusion:

Corona treatment is not eternal; it is an unstable physical state that tends to dissipate. Relying on luck is a gamble with your profitability.

As the experts say: Immediate measurement upon application is the only guarantee of anchoring.

At Kolorguide, we don’t invent the rules—we compile them and provide you with the tools to follow them with precision.

Technical Sources: Based on official technical bulletins and troubleshooting manuals from Flint Group (Flexo Guide), Sun Chemical (Ink Application Data), and the FTA FIRST 7.0 standards for process control.

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