In 1989, Amerikal Products Corporation introduced Genesis®, a full line of sustainable pressroom chemistries which includes fountain solutions and blanket and roller washes. Today, Genesis continues to set the standard by developing innovative products that are easy to use, safer and more productive, resulting in lower overall costs.
We have done our best to address and answer questions about our products simply and honestly. If you have any feedback or additional questions, please contact us.
Q: How do I know Genesis is right for my pressroom?
A: The key to implementing Genesis Solutions in any pressroom is strong management. Well managed organizations share the desire to be the best and are easy to identify; they are clean and organized, the press equipment is maintained properly, and procedures are in place and followed. When used properly, Genesis will outperform any respective competitive product in your pressroom. Genesis works best in pressrooms that are efficient and managed well and ads to the overall efficiency.
Q: What makes Genesis the most sustainable, “green”, safe pressroom chemistry line?
A: http://www.amerikal.com/pdf/AmeriakalSustainablePPT_v4.pdf (Presentation on Sustainability)
Q: I am interested in experiencing the benefits of the Genesis Solutions. What is the next step?
A: Contact Amerikal Products Corporation and allow us a few minutes to learn about your organization, equipment, process and goals. We will then provide you with honest feedback and expectations about our products. Should you choose to move forward, we will develop a plan and the training to insure a successful implementation of Genesis Solutions.
Q: Where is Genesis manufactured?
A: All Genesis® Chemistry is manufactured in Waukegan, IL by Amerikal Products Corporation.
Q: How long has Genesis been available?
A: The first generation of Genesis was introduced in 1989. Currently, the Genesis Fountain Solutions are in their 4th generation.
Q: Who is running Genesis Fountain Solution?
A: Hundreds of printers around the world running energy curable (UV/EB/Hybrid), heat set, cold set and conventional inks on web and sheet fed presses. The highest quality printers from around the world are running Genesis in industries ranging from food and pharmaceutical packaging to book and publication printing. We truly appreciate and thank the many of you who are loyal Genesis customers!
Q: How many different Genesis fountain solutions are manufactured?
A: Currently six.
Q: Why only six? My current fountain solution supplier manufactures 20, 50, 100, 150 different fountain solutions.
A: Consistency. Each of our Genesis fountain solutions is unique in design and manufacture. It is our contention based on years of proven success that a few well engineered products can be used in a variety of processes. This offers our customer the most consistent products and service from procurement to disposal.
Q: Are Genesis Fountain Solutions one or two step? Does Genesis have alcohol substitute?
A: Genesis Fountain Solutions are all one step and do not contain "alcohol substitutes" like ethylene glycols, ethers or their derivatives. The fact remains that there is no substitute for alcohol. Nor was it our intention to develop a fountain solution based on the use of Federal 313 listed regulated materials. Genesis simply performs without alcohol or materials listed as hazardous air pollutants or California Proposition 65 chemicals which the state has found to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
Q: What is different about Genesis?
A: Genesis Fountain Solutions are not aggressive to ink and do not affect the tack, body or drying capabilities of ink. When running Genesis the ink film is not altered or increased as a result of the fountain solution's solvency. This is why ink films run significantly thinner with Genesis, similar to running with the dampening system off.
To visualize this, imagine two identical gallon cans of blue paint and a white wall. Can A is mixed and opened. Can B is mixed then opened but has 1 pint of paint thinner added.
Now visualize rolling ½ the white wall with Can A. One coat will give a dense blue color and will dry relatively quickly, just as the paint was designed to dry.
Next, visual rolling the remaining ½ of the wall with Can B. Because of the solvency of the paint thinner that was added, it now takes a thicker coat of paint and takes considerable more time to dry than the portion of the wall painted with Can A.
So, by adding that small amount of paint thinner to Can B, more paint is necessary to achieve the proper color (density) and dry times of the paint are increased due to the thickness.
The more paint thinner that is added to paint, the more paint is needed to achieve the desired density, the heavier the film of wet paint, the longer the dry time.
The above description is similar to the interaction between traditional ink and traditional single and two step fountain solutions.
Genesis allows for ink to transfer, achieve density and dry the way ink was designed. Just as Can A required less paint and less time to dry.
Q: When switching to Genesis are there any press settings that change?
A: Running thinner ink and water films affords you the opportunity to lighten roller stripes to the plate. Decreasing pressure (stripes) from the form rollers to the plate reduces friction and thus decreases the heat generated. Friction and heat are two of the predominant reasons that rollers wear.
As you know, plates have a grain structure. The form rollers pressure and rotation against the plate causes a decrease in the plate grains depth. As that plate grain loses depth, the ink/water window tightens resulting in toning/scum and loss of ink/water balance. So by reducing the roller pressure and friction generated against the plate grain, a wider window of operation is available throughout the press run and overall plate life is extended.
We will discuss settings that demonstrate superior quality and offer savings in energy, time, waste and maintenance while extending roller & plate life.
Q: Can the same Genesis Fountain Solution be used for both conventional and UV/Hybrid inks?
A: Yes.
Q: What makes Genesis Fountain Solution more environmentally responsible than traditionalfountain solutions?
A: For starters we are a true single step fountain solution and five of our six fountain solutions do not utilize Federal 313 listed regulated materials, materials listed as hazardous air pollutants or California Proposition 65 chemicals which the state has found to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Many of the raw materials in Genesis are directly or derived from renewable resources. Our manufacturing facility is not only spotless and meticulously organized, but designed to be eco-friendly and extremely energy efficient.
Q: Is Genesis Fountain Solution more expensive than traditional fountain solution?
A: Genesis is priced somewhere in the middle of traditional fountain solutions. However, when you take into account Genesis being a single step product, reduced ink consumption and waste and overall health and safety liability, there is no more cost effective product on the market. We know you have heard it all before, but this is different. It actually works.
Q: Where can I purchase Genesis Fountain Solution?
A: Genesis can be purchased direct from Amerikal Products Corporation or we can refer you to your nearest authorized dealer.
Q: Most Low VOC washes do not clean well. What is different about Genesis® AW 2001-40 and BRIGL Wash?
A: Unlike traditional low VOC washes, AW 2001-40 or BRIGL Wash are not based on a combination of petrochemicals, water and soaps. Both Genesis washes are based on renewable resources grown on American Farms. These products cut and clean ink significantly better than competitive traditional washes and zero and low VOC washes.
Q: Do Genesis AW 2001-40 and BRIGL evaporate quickly off the blankets and rollers? Do they feel oily?
A: The simple answer is no they do not evaporate like traditional washes, and some have described them as feeling oily. However highly evaporative washes are not the best way to wash. The industry has become accustom to highly evaporative washes and it is time to change.
Our washes are not designed to evaporate like a traditional wash. Competitive products which evaporate quickly also tend to cause the most issues with blanket and roller shrinkage and swelling. Also, highly evaporative washes do not clean well because they do not keep ink and other contaminants in suspension during wash up procedures.
Think of a roller wash procedure. After the traditional wash is applied, the wash up blade is engaged. Additional wash needs to be continually added due to evaporation. This evaporation off the rollers prevents the consistent transfer of contaminants to the wash up blade.
Genesis Washes are proven to be mild to rollers but tough on inks and contaminants. The key to successfully implementing AW2001-40 or BRIGL into your wash procedure is to ensure that wash up blades are replaced periodically and that less wash is used.
And yes, blankets should be wiped dry after a manual blanket wash. It only takes an extra minute and it prolongs the life of blankets and is safer for those using the product.
Q: Can both Genesis Blanket & Roller Washes be used in automatic blanket and roller wash systems?
A: Yes.