When I worked in a prety large shop, we used Union Max and I used that for sim process but added a min of 10% base and up to 20%. It seemed that anything over 20% would dilute the opacity of the inks. If printing on white, no problem, but if printing and combining to create lets say a green fmo a blue and yellow, the yellow would be too thin and not make a good green and the blue would be week so the color would be off. I like (ONE INK) that can be manipulated as needed. Straight for solid printing and based out for halftone work. so thats why we kept with that. Adding up to 50% for anything can take away the strength and integrity of the ink. I've been told this by Union but that was about 10 years ago and they may have adjusted their formulation to accomodate.
I'm not even fond of an ultrasoft or even a Unimatch. It's comparably a Rutland M3 and those are (too thin) in my opinion as an artist trying to get specific colors and other effects, but they are popular. I have seen the rise of very thin inks as a staple and to me, it effects your overall output and defines or changes how you handle production and can leave you handicapped. Just my thought.
Another thing I am agaisnt (apparently as an artist) is using big dots on left chest prints. When the back is 55lpi, I often request them to go 60-65 for the front on smaller images to increase more detail and decrease the dot size for better results.
My thought on your print issues is to add to what they have said and also point out another area. The low base white puts down a good heavy coverage of white ink. For me, ( it's too much). It's already a low mesh, so you should be able to get that in one print in most cases, but being on a manual, it's common. You can get there on a manul, but takes more experience and attention to your production like a science.
The top blue is on a 305 mesh with thin coverage of halftones. The two together seem to be unequally yoked, meaning, they are not a good match together. They can, but not in the best results.
Like the short, fat, bald guy and the tall skinny model. They can get married, but it takes a lot to get them together.
I can see this print like this. HUGE BASE WHITE and a little blue.
First problem I see, is the P/F/P/F/Blue.
For the ink you are using, I would just add in 20% clear base to thin it out just a little, but I may use a higher mesh like a 230 and then do the P/F/P/F/Print blue. This will be thinner than the last setup and still give you a bright white.
