SAC/TC170 Forms Drafting Group in Changde for VOC Test Specimen Standard in Cigarette Pack Printing

On March 13, 2013, the National Technical Committee on Printing Standardization (SAC/TC170) convened a drafting-group kickoff meeting in Changde, Hunan, to develop the press and publication industry standard 'Preparation Method of Test Specimens for the Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Cigarette Pack Printing Materials.' The session drew more than 20 experts and technicians from Changde Jinpeng Printing Co., Ltd.; Shenzhen Kecai Printing Co., Ltd.; Shantou Wanshun Packaging Material Co., Ltd.; Daya Technology Danyang New Packaging Materials Branch; Hanghua Ink Chemical Co., Ltd.; Zhuhai Letong Chemical Co., Ltd.; Shanxi Jinghua Science, Industry and Trade Co., Ltd.; Beijing Taili Hengyou Technology Development Co., Ltd.; and Kurz Transfer Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd. Changde Jinpeng Printing Co., Ltd. served as host.

The meeting began by establishing the drafting group and confirming the drafters and lead writers. Experts then examined the standard's title, framework, content, and test-specimen preparation methods. Considering which printing materials require specimen preparation, the group named the standard 'Preparation Method of Test Specimens for the Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Cigarette Pack Printing Materials' and narrowed specimen preparation to three packaging-printing material types: paper, ink, and hot stamping foil. It primarily regulates VOC test specimen preparation for these three materials in printing for cigarette cartons and packs; similar materials in other printing sectors can refer to it.

The draft framework also received preliminary changes: all 'white material handling' references in specimen preparation became 'substrate handling'; cut paper specifications were standardized to 'mm'; 'flexographic ink specimen preparation steps' would no longer be spelled out separately but would follow those for other inks; in paper sample preparation, 'cut paper of full web width' was replaced by 'cut paper samples larger than A4'; for gravure ink specimens, 'use a 4# wire bar to scrape the sample evenly' was removed and 'use a color proofer' was emphasized; and in offset ink sampling and identification, 'scoop 20 ml of ink as the sample' was changed to 'scoop 10 grams of ink as the sample' to make the procedure easier.

Because standard specimen preparation involves various instruments and hands-on procedures, the meeting decided that the detailed provisions would be finalized only after relevant companies and units had performed actual measurements and operations and assessed feasibility. Given the drafting workload, the group must complete the first draft of the drafting-group proposal by the end of May 2013. The standard drafting group's first working meeting is scheduled for June 2013 in Hangzhou.

—Reposted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn); original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361935.html