Pigment dispersion is a critical process when mixing ink or paint, which is, of course, necessary when creating colour. The pigment dispersion industry, like most others, has greatly benefitted from technological developments and this enables ink or paint to be mixed to very accurate colour specifications. Triple roll milling produces the best form of pigment dispersion we know and this cleverly designed combination of rollers that turn in opposite directions and at varying speeds ensures that the pigment is thoroughly dispersed throughout the product.
How Does it Work?
The three rollers are all horizontal and very close to each other. The first is called the feed roll and this moves in a clockwise direction, while the centre roll rotates in the opposite direction and the final roll (the apron roll) rotates in the same direction as the feed roll. When a straight edge is applied to the apron roll, the substance can be removed and is thoroughly mixed and the distances between the rollers can be finely adjusted to work at optimum levels with a range of materials. The material is fed into the area in the middle of the feed and centre roller and the cycle begins and will continue for as long as the operator wishes and only ends when the knife edge is applied to the apron roll.
Industrial Operations
There are specialist pigment dispersion companies that have large scale triple roll milling facilities and they can create paint or ink to very precise specifications. The manufacturer would consult the pigment dispersion specialist when planning the fabrication of a product well in advance, which ensures that the product is ready when needed.
Created to Order
The customer would have specific needs from the material, therefore the properties must be carefully planned and using their many years of hands-on experience, the pigment dispersion company would design the perfect product that perfectly meets their customer’s requirements. Very often, the client does not have the necessary technical know-how to decide on the exact specifications and the pigment dispersion specialist would typically advise.
State of the Art Facilities
Any established triple roll milling facility would employ the very best machinery and of course, pigment dispersion experts, who use cutting edge technology to achieve their goals. They would typically mix batches from 50-400 kg and could mix smaller batches on a separate machine, which is often required. The actual pigment process has two stages – mixing and milling – and separate teams would likely handle each process, giving the perfect product at the end of the process.
If you have a specific ink or paint need, a Google search will put you in touch with a pigment dispersion specialist, who can create the right product that ticks all the boxes. Once you have made contact, they will guide you through the process, ensuring that the end product meets all of your needs and they are always happy to offer advice on any aspect of pigment dispersion.
