Inkometer

An inkometer is a specialized measuring instrument used by the printing industry to measure the "tack" (adhesiveness) of an ink with the roller system on an offset press. The importance of tack is that it is not so excessive that it doesn't allow effective transfer from the rollers to the plate and then to the blanket and on to the substrate being printed. Inks can also be tack "graded" in descending sequence to allow for better trapping of one color over another. Inks with too much tack can cause the surface of the paper to pick off and interfere with transfer on subsequent printing units and copies.