The industry has become addicted to IPA, but help is on hand for those that want to break this pernicious habit.
At one time isopropyl alcohol was seen as a miracle product. Press manufacturers trumpeted the benefits of their alcohol dampening systems, much as cigarette smoking was promoted as a means of alleviating the airways or Prozac was marketed as the ultimate sunshine pill. As a wetting agent, IPA helped the litho action by spreading water across the printing plate and expanded the window where the litho process was under control....
