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Question: What are the advantages of Flatbed UV inkjet?

Answer: There are many including:

1.       The ability to print on most substrates even thick ones.

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Question: What is a realistic number of cut-offs to hit color (save) on a web?

Answer: What we are seeing in publication presses is about 1,500 cut-offs. This can be with a new web or one that has been updated. Updating a web for fast color control requires fast ink key response and an in press color measurement device. Both are readily available on the market.

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Question: We have ink on our shelf dating to 2006 – is that OK?

Answer: Most ink companies will agree that UV ink should be used within six months of manufacture and be stored in plastic containers. Using ink that is 2.5 years old is not a great idea at all. You could not get cure and may have serious lay issues. Why gamble?

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Question: What should we expect for drying time on Poly? Speed of run?

Answer: Generally you should be able to die cut Poly board in 24 to 48 hours with a very good ink and running a bare minimum of fountain solution. In terms of speed, this is dictated by the IR units and air system on the press. It can go as high as 9,000 iph.

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Question: A customer rejected a job for the fourth time because the color was not right! What should I do?

Answer: First, for any fussy customer (it is OK to be fussy) they need to OK the sheet on the press. In your case, the customer did not have time to look at the sheets on press??? If the job is that important, then the customer should have stayed &ndas...Read More

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Question: Why in the world would I want to use plastic skids?

Answer: For sheetfed and web, we are finding plastic a far better choice. They last a long time, do not need repairs, do not damage bottom sheets, are all the correct size for the press and in the long run are cheaper. When wood wares, you now have small pieces of wood that can get into a press thus causing defects. Plastic is a good choice.

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Question: We are having white holes in print that turn dark on later sheets. What can we do?

Answer: Your problem is by no means unique. The samples you sent me show coating that was loosely bonded or not bonded coming off the sheet. The first sheet will show a white hole while the subsequent sheets show an enlarged dot pattern and then a blur some sheets later. You need to discuss this with the paper manufacturer and begin dry dusting sheets now. Some peopl...Read More

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Question: In printing a neutral gray we are having bands every inch. Why?

Answer: Banding is a very undesirable print quality defect that is usually due to a mechanical malfunction of the press. This can be caused by many items including but not limited to cylinders, movement of stock, cylinders not matched, improper drive of the unit, unit to unit drive differences, etc. This is not a problem as a pressman that you are going to solve easily – you need to get the manufacturer involved. Running a ...Read More

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Question: We are having a press rebuilt and want it cleaned. What is the best way?

Answer: If you are going for a full rebuild and new electrical, there are two methods to choose from. The first is blasting with dry ice and the second is blasting with walnut shells. Both methods give very good results. The walnut shell approach is a more difficult cleanup. Both methods, I am told, cost about the same. Note that all wiring usually has to be stripped out of the press and naturally all the rollers.

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Question: We are having too many white voids in our work. What can we do?

Answer: Normally we are seeing this type of defect (if not in one place throughout the run) to be a substrate issue. The next time one occurs, stop the press and find the particle on the blanket and remove it with clear tape. Adhere the tape to clear plastic and send it to the substrate manufacturer for analysis. Once you find out what it is, then you can start working on a cure.

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Question: When should we look at a Scrap Removal System?

Answer: Usually what we see is when you are approaching $20 million a year in sales – commercial sheetfed or web. It takes time and labor to remove waste/scrap from production areas. This waste can clog up a plant or severely impact work flow. Collecting, shredding and compacting can automatically save money if you have the volume.

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Question: My purchasing agent says we do not need to condition paper for digital. Is this true?

Answer: Hopefully you took the other side – he is wrong. No matter what the process, paper needs to be conditioned prior to imaging. Bringing in 18” rolls 3+ feet in diameter need to come to room temperature before printing. Contact your favorite paper merchant or mill for a conditioning chart.

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