A joint venture between weighing specialists Sartorius and software developers SCCS has led to a claimed breakthrough in the production of small ink batches.

The ColourSave system combines a Sartorius Colormix explosion-proof scale with colour formulation software to allow flexo printers to re-use ink leftover from previous jobs.

Ink that would normally be wasted is weighed and recorded and can then be put in storage. When a similar colour is required in the future the stored ink can be used as a base, with the software defining which additives are required to mix the new colour. ColourSave handles all colour formulations and specifies the required amounts of solvents to be delivered by the Colormix scale.