The fibrous structure of paper

The influence of fiber structure

Fiber length and interweaving condition: The fibers in the paper are just like the steel frame of a building. If the fibers are long and strong, and interweave closely and evenly with each other, the strength of the paper is guaranteed. During the printing process, it is less likely to encounter the troublesome problems such as shedding fibers and powder, and the printed patterns and text can be clean and clear. For instance, the paper used for high-end album printing has a very high fiber quality, with an appropriate length and good interweaving. The printed pictures have accurate color reproduction and rich details. If the fibers are short or poorly interwoven, even minor vibrations or friction during the printing process may cause the fibers to loosen and fall off, adhering to the printing plate or blanket, which can affect the printing effect and lead to problems such as blurred patterns and incomplete characters.

Fiber orientation: Fibers in paper have a certain arrangement direction, and this direction is called the filament orientation of the paper. When printing, if the printing direction is consistent with the direction of the paper threads, the paper will expand and contract more evenly when absorbing ink and moisture, and the printed matter will be less likely to deform. However, if the two are not consistent, the printed matter may seem to have been pulled, resulting in problems such as image distortion and registration deviation. Just like making clothes, if the texture direction of the fabric is not chosen correctly, the clothes will be uncomfortable to wear and are prone to distortion. So, before printing, the printing factory must definitely figure out the thread direction of the paper, especially for products with high printing precision requirements.