CIRI: The Coating and Ink Research Institute

ETAC's Coating and Ink Research Institute (CIRI) helps companies experiment with new materials and processes or diagnose the cause of coating and printing problems, all without shutting down production or making large capital expenditures.

With laboratories located at the NCC Fowler Family Southside Center and NCC North Campus in Bethlehem, CIRI helps companies improve their competitive positions. ETAC's experienced technical staff and laboratory facilities can analyze and improve a wide variety of coating and ink processes.

Coatings
CIRI can help tackle the complicated challenge of identifying the best coatings for product quality, cost and environmental regulations. CIRI can help you find more environmentally-friendly materials that produce a durable, high-quality product. CIRI researches and works with the newest alternatives to traditional solvents, including powder, water-borne, natural oil, high solids and radiation-cured coatings. Other benefits include reduced curing and process time, improved working conditions, and more precise control that reduce the risk of product damage.

Inks
Using a wide array of up-to-date print testing equipment, CIRI can help your company make your ink-related products and processes more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. Our new, state-of-the-art printing test equipment from Testprint is ideal for printers, packaging firms, and manufacturers of ink, paper, rollers, blankets, founts and presses.

Our printing and testing equipment includes:

• IGT F-1 for flexo and gravure
• Little Joe Letterpress & Offset Printability Tester
• Prufbau testers for litho
• Bohlin, Haake, Duke and Brookfield Inkometers
• Comprehensive Abrasion Tester
• Duke Emulsification Tester
• Datacolor and X-Rite equipment
• Dispersion testing equipment from Eiger, Cowles and Hoover.

Other coating and ink research equipment includes:

• Infrared, convection ovens
• Ultraviolet and electron beam curing chambers
• Spectrophotometers, viscometers and rheometers
• Color and gloss analyzer
• Proof press
• Forced air drying
• RF, microwave heating and curing systems

Read more about our facilities

To learn more about our coating and ink testing services, please
contact us.