Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd (DNP) called on Hydramotion when they needed a robust but sensitive in-line instrument to measure the viscosity of printing ink.

With products ranging from dictionaries, comics and posters to CDs, decorative materials and TV shadowmasks, DNP has been a major player in the Japanese print and media market for over a hundred years.  For a company like DNP, accurate management of ink viscosity is critical for ensuring quality and suitability.

The DNP viscometer is used on various lines at different times, so it has to be easily removable and able to cope with regular relocation.  Previous instruments were easily damaged and breakdowns were common.

To overcome the problem, Hydramotion designed and built a special version of its XL7 intrinsically safe in-line viscometer with a two-inch tri-clamp quick-release fitting.  This made installation or removal a simple ten-second operation.  The crevice-free sensor is a solid stainless steel probe sturdy enough to withstand repeated removal and reinstallation without damage.

The instrument can now be removed and reinstalled within minutes.  In use, it provides continuous viscosity measurement accurate to within 1% of the reading, with high resolution even at very low viscosities.

DNP needed an instrument that would be sensitive and reliable yet still rugged enough to cope with frequent re-installation in a busy pressroom. For DNP as for many other customers, a major attraction of the XL7 viscometer is its combination of high performance and ready adaptability.

With no need for on-site calibration or adjustment, the XL7 viscometer gave DNP an instant solution to a long-standing problem.