Arcdeco SO 230 Stoving Offset Ink for Closure and Crown Stock
A higher-flexibility stoving offset ink for tinplate and tin-free steel closure and crown stock, printed as sheet and then stamped into crowns, twist-off lug caps and other closures. The printed film is formulated to take fluting, lug forming and skirt crimping, the compound bake and pasteurisation or retort without cracking or flaking.
Grade Arcdeco SO 230 | Range Metal Decorating Inks | Technology Thermally cured lithographic paste ink, flexible thermosetting resin vehicle in high-boiling ink oil
Technical Data Sheet
Arcdeco SO 230
Issue 2026.09
1. Product description
A higher-flexibility stoving ink for sheet that is stamped into crowns, twist-off lug caps and other closures after printing. The printed film has to take the local deformation of fluting, lug forming and skirt crimping, then the heat used to gel or mould the sealing compound in the formed shell, and then pasteurisation or retort with torque held on the closure. The failure it is designed against is cracking or flaking at the flutes and lugs, which shows only after the shell is formed and processed. It is run with the external build of the Arccan CL 140 system and assessed on finished closures, not on flat sheet.
2. Features
- Higher flexibility than the food and general line grade, for local deformation at flutes, lugs and skirt
- Keeps adhesion through the heat used to gel or mould the sealing compound in the formed shell
- Stoved alone, or varnished wet and stoved to the Arccan CL 140 schedule
- Runs with the external build of the Arccan CL 140 system
- Assessed on finished closures after processing, with torque held, not on flat sheet
3. Recommended uses
Printed decoration on crowns, twist-off lug caps and other stamped closures that are lined with sealing compound and then pasteurised or retorted after capping. Aluminium closure stock is assessed separately.
Substrates. Tinplate and tin-free steel closure and crown stock in sheet, carrying a cured size or white base. Aluminium closure stock is assessed separately.
4. Typical properties
| Property | Typical value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Thermally cured lithographic paste ink, flexible thermosetting resin vehicle in high-boiling ink oil | Formulation |
| Form and colour range | Paste ink in spot and process colours, matched to an approved standard | Visual |
| Composition | Flexible thermosetting resin vehicle in high-boiling ink oil; formulated without PTFE wax | Supplier formulation record, declared not tested |
| Tack | Stated per colour on a named instrument, speed and roller temperature, set against the customer's press and graded down the colour sequence for wet trapping | ISO 12634, rotary tackmeter; readings compared only on the same instrument type, roller temperature and speed |
| Viscosity at 25 degrees C | 20 to 120 Pa.s, with yield value reported; stated per colour on the Certificate of Analysis | ISO 12644, falling rod viscometer |
| Fineness of grind | 5 micrometres or finer | ISO 1524 |
| Formability of the printed stack | No cracking or loss of adhesion at the cupping indentation agreed for the gauge and temper, within 6 to 9 mm and short of fracture of the metal itself, or over the mandrel agreed for the gauge; acceptance on formed and processed closures | ISO 1520 cupping, comparative on closure stock; ISO 1519 or ISO 6860 mandrel bend; then the customer's finished closures |
| Colour and adhesion through later bakes | Colour shift within the agreed tolerance, typically ΔE00 1.0 to 2.0, and cross-cut 0 to 1, after one to three further bakes, including the compound bake | Printed panels over-baked in-house, measured to ISO 13655 and ISO/CIE 11664-6, adhesion to ISO 2409 |
| Pasteurisation or retort resistance | No blush, softening, colour change or loss of adhesion after the declared cycle, commonly 20 to 60 min in water at 60 to 85 degrees C for pasteurisation, or 60 to 90 min at 121 degrees C for retort | Customer or closure-maker protocol on capped and processed packs, followed by tape adhesion to ISO 2409 |
| Condition of formed areas | No cracking or flaking at flutes, lugs and skirt after forming, compound bake and processing | Visual inspection of finished closures, customer protocol |
Typical values, not a specification. Values for each batch are given on its Certificate of Analysis.
5. Application
| Parameter | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Application method | Wet offset on a sheet-fed press, varnished wet or over the stoved ink. |
| Surface preparation | Print over a cured size or white base on tinplate or tin-free steel closure and crown stock, clean and free of dust. |
| Dry ink film weight | About 0.5 to 2.0 g/m2 dry per colour, set by colour, coverage and press and confirmed at trial. |
| Stoving schedule, ink stoved alone | 10 to 12 min at 160 to 200 degrees C peak metal temperature in a wicket oven, traced by thermocouple on a sample sheet. |
| Stoving schedule, varnished wet | To the Arccan CL 140 schedule of 10 to 12 min at 190 to 205 degrees C peak metal temperature when varnished wet with that build. |
| Next step | Stamping, compound lining with its gelling or moulding bake, and capping, followed by the customer's pasteurisation or retort cycle. |
| Qualification | A trial through the customer's press shop, compound line and process cycle is required before approval. |
Process. Wet offset, varnished wet or over the stoved ink, and stoved typically 10 to 12 min at 160 to 200 degrees C peak metal temperature when stoved alone, or to the Arccan CL 140 schedule of 10 to 12 min at 190 to 205 degrees C when varnished wet with that build, followed by stamping, compound lining and capping. A trial through the customer’s press shop, compound line and process cycle is required before approval.
6. Storage and handling
Store in the original closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sun and sources of heat, and keep lids closed between uses to limit skinning. Shelf life is stated on the label and Certificate of Analysis. Handle and use the product in line with its Safety Data Sheet.
7. Safety and regulatory information
Read the Safety Data Sheet before use. Safety Data Sheets and regulatory declarations are issued by our technical centre against the product and batch supplied, so they are sent on request rather than published. Request a Safety Data Sheet or declaration.
This Technical Data Sheet is published for on-screen reference. The information is given in good faith from laboratory and application experience and describes typical values; it is not a specification and does not replace a trial on your own substrate and line. Arctic Materials may revise this sheet without notice. Issue 2026.09.
Technical Data Sheets on this site are for on-screen viewing. For a controlled copy, write to tech@arcticmaterials.com.
Other grades in this range
Need a Safety Data Sheet, a regulatory declaration or a grade specified to your line? Contact our technical centre.