Exam 2

Print Production Preflighting

Who uses checklists? Smart people!

What problems are most likely to occur in print production files?

Not embedded fonts, Low resolution images, RGB used, no bleed, transparency warning, overprint

How can checklists improve a print production workflow?

Create order, improve quality, help communication and review, ensure consistency, reduce errors, improve productivity, and allow for continuous improvement.

Name five tools used to preflight print production files. PitStop Pro, PitStop Server, Switch, InDesign, Acrobat

Describe ways that files can be manually preflighted. Acrobat - show art, trim and bleed boxes, page size display, and overprint preview

What are the limitations of an InDesign Preflight Profile?

Four color text

Bleed/trim hazard

Profile error reporting - there are some errors that the profile catches that we as designers don’t count as errors but the profile is programmed to just bring it to our attention; some things as designers we ignore

What is a PDF/X-4 file?

A PDF 1.6 file. Allows many things - use of transparency, color data can be grayscale/cmyk/rgb/lab/ICC profile base, image data can be 8-bit or 16-bit, and layers

Restricts - fonts must be embedded in the file, the file should not contain javascript code, files cannot contain movies or music, encryption cannot be used, and transfer curves cannot be used

What is a TrueType font and how does it differ from an OpenType font?

TrueType was invented by Apple as competition to Adobe’s PostScript Type.

OpenType was designed to replace TrueType and was created initially by Adobe and Microsoft.

The benefits of OpenType are a much larger character set and automatic alternative characters

Adobe Acrobat supplies many settings that are useful in preflighting a file. Name them and describe how they are used to manually check files.

Separation preview, ink manager, advanced object/type touch-up tools

What characteristics make an image suitable for graphic production on an offset press?

The image needs to be 1200 dpi to be able to be printed with enough resolution. Not a lot of solids or large blocks of colors. Not good at transparencies.

Know the appropriate software applications for specific layout, workflow, illustration, and imaging functions. ESKO, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator

Can we print transparencies? Name three examples of transparencies. We have to be aware of them, especially when they overlap each other. Three examples - ghost halftones, vignettes, and drop shadows.

Differentiate Destructive vs. Non-destructive image editing techniques.

Non-destructive: uses adjustment layers to maximize the image and eliminate color casts

Destructive: does not use layers - flattening the image and erasing layers

How do we automate the preflighting process? Batch processing (photoshop), workflow software, remote/soft proofing

Why are some preflight points designed to indicate “risky design choices”?

converting body text to outlines - stroke problems

poor originals - tone compression

line art resolution - 1200 dpi minimum, use vector if available

Transparencies - CAN use, however risky because

Preflight points are designed to help indicate “risky design choices” to help the designer avoid press errors.

Digital imaging checklist: what is important to routinely check when preparing an image for digital print production?

Resolution, size, mode

Original check levels for tone reproduction

Adjust image curve for best tonal reproduction

Apply sharpening

Proofing

1. What is a proof? What is the purpose of a proof? A rough copy of what should be printed; to be able to see an idea of what the finished product will look like

2. What is a “soft proof”? What does it enable a person to do? Person can view the file in acrobat and proof it without a printed piece

What steps can be taken by the prepress worker and/or the press operator to ensure consistency and quality from sheet-to-sheet and from job-to-job?

Standardizing workflows and recording actions from job to job

Be able to differentiate the various printing processes addressed in Commercial Printing by their inherent characteristics, process variables, and products.

Offset: Long press runs, oil/water

Digital: VDP, short press runs, electroink, toner

Materials Specification: paper, ink. What are the general paper grades that GRACoL specifies?

GRACoL: General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography

GRACoL is used for printing ________??

SWOP is for publication printing

Both used for litho

What items would you include on a preflight checklist (in a preflight profile)? Why?

Think things that would show up on a preflight checklist in InDesign

Effective vs. actual resolution

Actual is the resolution you put in when you are resizing the image

Effective is the resolution that the image is when it is scaled

VDP

List the benefits of Variable Data Printing. Larger sales, higher returns, greater customer loyalty.

What do today's consumers expect of vendors? To acknowledge their personal interests and preferences. They are looking for “my brand” and making sure that “my brand” is delivered in the way that “I” want.

Describe the products capable of being produced by VDP-enabled digital printing. Ranges from business cards to booklets. Digital printing makes short-run color printing jobs more economical.

List some examples of levels of customization in one-to-one marketing collateral. Variable text and images, and page selection

Diagram & describe an example of a Cross-Media Marketing campaign.

Database > initial campaign > document contains PURL > save responses in database

Attracts customers across multiple channels and makes a far greater impact than generic direct mail.

How can marketers assert a “call to action” to their customers? Promotional documents - PURL

What are the bottom-line benefits of VDP and Cross-Media Marketing for commercial printers/print service providers? Achieve higher return on investment, track responses and gather customer information, do more cost-effective promotions, optimize target communications, gain greater mind share by providing relevant information.

In the world of VDP commercial printers/print service providers have the ability to move away from commodity-based pricing to value-based pricing by adding new services to tap new revenue streams. Name and describe these services.

(commodity based is essentially what it will cost in the market; value based is what value is actually being added to the customer. this taps new revenue streams because you are focusing on providing value to the customer, and not just using a cost effective way to get them information)

Data clean-up - removing obsolete records and incorrect information

Data mining - searching large volumes of data for information relevant to a specific purpose

Specialized design services - creating document layouts and templates for variable data

Resource management - storing, tracking, updating, and otherwise managing a customer’s digital assets, including files and databases

Customized campaign management - advising customers on creating and running a variable data marketing campaign

Response monitoring/reporting - tracking and analyzing feedback to marketing campaigns to help customers measure success

Cross-media services - re-purposing output for different media, such as direct mail, email, PURLs, or mobile devices

What are some risks that using VDP pose to the marketer/customer relationship?

Inappropriate use of data could challenge the relationship and risk turning the customer away

Name and describe the major components/elements of VDP.

Database: a simple table containing the information, such as the first name, last name, and address, that will vary between each document; examples: microsoft excel, filemaker pro

Digital assets: users can store variable content like images and graphics in a digital asset management (DAM) system or in a location that the database will reference to locate the correct file

Business rules: specify what variable content to use and where to place it within the document; rules can use conditional formatting to select content depending on information in the database; users can write or program them in the variable data printing applications

Layout: use common desktop publishing or word-processing software to create a template for the document; the design must accommodate the placement of variable content; some desktop publishing software uses plug-in VDP applications to assign rules for payout

VDP applications: software that is capable of creating layouts for static and dynamic content and connects with the database to assign what and where to place the content; the application prepares the document for printing

Output devices: printing devices that turn the digital files into hard-copy prints

Which type of VDP has greater value, “push” or “pull”? Why? Pull marketing is way more cost effective. The customer has already targeted himself, and the vendor prints a brochure only for a customer who is already interested in the product. The vendor provides more of what the customer is looking for, and less of what they are not looking for.

Offset Litho

From what does the word "lithography" derive? Lithos from Greek = stone; graphien = to write

Who invented lithography? When? Aloys Senefelder, 1798

Explain how traditional stone lithography works.

Image carrier - a design is drawn with a greasy crayon or ink on a flat limestone slab, to which the crayon adheres

Dampening - the stone is then moisturized with water which is absorbed by the parts of the stone not covered in grease

Inking - using a roller, greasy ink is applied to the stone; the ink adheres only to the drawing and is repelled by the wet parts of the stone

Impression - a print is made by pressing paper against the inked stone drawing

Drying - the paper and ink are allowed to dry

Explain how lithographic ink is distributed within a printing unit.

A thin ink film is distributed around the form rollers

Picks up fountain solution

Ink keys are adjusted to give the correct amount of ink

How is ink split and offset from plate to blanket and from blanket to substrate?

The plate cylinder is wet by the dampening units - water adheres to the non-imaging areas. This allows the oily ink to only adhere to the imaging area and then it is transferred to the blanket cylinder. Splitting the ink over and over again keeps it consistent and gets the minimum amount of ink on the press sheet, but you don’t get 100% transfer.

Indigo vs. Sheetfed Litho press productivity. How do they compare?

Indigo (29x20) - 13,800 pph

Litho (40 inch) - 288,000 pph

What units are used to measure press throughput in conventional offset, digital printing, and web offset?

Conventional offset: impressions/hour

Web offset: feet/minute

Digital: pages/hour

How does imposition affect productivity?

If the pages are imposed correctly, production will go quicker. Less work is required by the printer and if all of the press sheet is used, less sheets will need to go through the press. The different ways to impose can depend on the type of publication/ if there is a need to print front and back (i.e. the variations specified below.)

What are the three main imposition variations? Advantages/requirements of each?

Sheetwise - two different images (plates) one for each side of the press sheet. Both sides of the press sheet are printed, same gripper edge, opposite side guide.

THIS IS WHAT WE USE IN LAB

Work and turn - FLOP. Paper runs through then rolls over.

Work and tumble - BACKFLIP. Paper runs through then does a backflip.

Work and turn & work and tumble save:

- Time in electronic prepress, prep on the press (makeready), but not during the press run- Materials (film, stripping supplies, plates, and chemistry)- Press makeready

Requirements for work & turn/tumble:

- Quick setting inks - The printed piece must be two or more up and an even number- Work and tumble requires pre-trimming

How is minimum press sheet size figured? Width and length of the blanket with room for gripping

How does litho compare to flexo?

Costs more, more complex, not as versatile in range of substrates, uses a planographic image carrier

What are common press speeds/formats for sheetfed litho?

Speed: 3900 pph, 65 ppm

Format: 12.7 x 18.9 and 2-up

(vs. Indigo which can do 4080 pph, 68 ppm)

What are the trends in new press technology?

Integrated computer workflow (mixing processing)

Increased inking capability (auto ink dispensing)

Improved automation and controls -closed loop color-this is where it is constantly monitoring color and the ink and then it sends those measurements to the ink keys and they change accordingly.

UV-Cured technology

Things that make shorter runs more economical

How is print quality analyzed?

Dot quality

Density

Ink trap

Doubling

Dot structure

What is the difference between register and fit?

Register - the positioning of the sheet relative to the image on the blanket. (same place)

Fit - describes the juxtaposition of all image elements in the printing area without regard to the sheet margin. (right place) This is how the inks line up to each other.

What is the advantage of a stream feeder over a successive feeder?

Successive: sheets fed at the speed of the press (gap between sheets)

Stream: press speed higher than feeder speed (sheets are overlapping)

Name the major parts of a pile feeder.

Acclimation

Position paper pile

Vacuum pressure, pile height, double sheet detection

Name the major parts of a sheet registration system.

Set head stops, set side guides, set tail wheels

Why are there so many rollers in a print unit on an offset lithographic press?

Inking form rollers get too hot, can be cooled with distributor rollers by water

Recharging, more contact points, thixotropy

Explain the three types of double-sheet detectors.

Mechanical - operator must calibrate a physical sheet gap tolerance

Optical - senses opacity of sheet, used on direct image which means its inline

Ultrasonic - the sensor operates by beaming ultrasonic sound waves through the material from one side and measuring the intensity of the sound detected on the other side

Ink Drying: compare the drying methods of Sheetfed Offset, Heatset Web Offset, and Digital Offset.

Sheetfed offset: oxygen cross-links with help from driers / main drying catalysts are cobalt or manganese, drying time is 24-48 hours

Heatset web offset: heat is used to speed up evaporation of solvent (oil) from ink, ink is hot and soft at this state, chill rolls “removes heat”, drying time is a fraction of a second (magazines)

Digital offset: It is dries through heat. This means solvents are not in the ink because it’s too dangerous to use those with heat.

Name the top four safety rules to be observed while running a press.

Nothing on top of the press.

Never take a rag to a moving press.

Always know where your partner’s hands are.

No cell phones on your person while working the press.

What steps are involved in a conventional offset press makeready?

Plate making, registering colors- Whenever you are changing between jobs on the press, certain aspects like plates, colors etc need to be changed between the jobs. The time it takes to get these things ready to print is the make ready. Its like nascar, the faster the pit crew changes the tires the faster the car can go back to racing. Same thing with makereadys. The faster and more efficient the pressmen can change plates and colors in the inking units, the faster they can get the printer up and running #thankscaraustar

What factors increase offset lithographic press productivity?

Speed, automation, larger format size, reducing mistakes, shortening makeready time (using SOPs, press inking capabilities, designing for production ease)

What distinguishes DI press technology from conventional offset press technology (and from true "digital presses")?

Designed for fast make-ready and short runs, the entire operation is automated, from plate advancing to imaging, printing and cleaning. (got this directly from Presstek’s site, they created this)

What factors, technologies allow for web productivity? How do these factors affect quality of the work done on a web offset press?

Sheetfed offset press & Heatset web press, There needs to be even tension of the web throughout to maintain dimensional stability of the paper. This will allow ink to dry faster as well when everything is aligning and flowing correctly.

How many form rollers are there in a typical sheetfed offset press? 4

Explain how "packing" under a plate and blanket is controlled. Calculate a packing formula.

Packing under the blanket and the plate creates a squeeze “Plate packing is used to underlay a press blanket or plate, to bring the surface to the desired height; the method of adjusting squeeze pressure.”How is impression "dialed-in" on on offset press. Describe an "impression run".

Break print then bring it up til there is slur then take it back to smooth

Breaking point from the impression cylinder

Similar to flexo with the anilox and breaking print then bringing back

What are the five functions of an offset lithographic inking unit system?

1. Work the ink from a plastic state to a semi-liquid state

2. Distribute a small thick film to an even, thin film all around the form rollers3. Deposit a uniformly even, thin film of ink on the image4. Pick up fountain solution from the plate, emulsify partially into the ink and evaporate the rest5. It should pick up foreign matter and hold in suspension until the system is cleaned

How is ink level controlled on an offset lithographic inking unit system?

Continuous is most consistent and better all around - for dampening the plate.

Ultimately comes down to the ink keys.

Name and describe the functions of the ingredients of an offset lithographic ink.

Colorant: pigments can be organic or inorganic

Vehicle: veggie oil base (linseed), resin (natural or hydrocarbon)

Additives: waxes, dryers, etc., drying agents (catalysts)

Cobalt: top dryer

Manganese: through dryer

Diagram and explain how an Anicolor Inking Unit works.

Heidelberg technology, short zoneless (no ink zone) inking unit with dampening system; used for short runs; uniform distribution of ink

How is ink sequence determined in an offset lithographic press system?

Like “peanut butter and jelly”

Ink tack

Wet, press, trap (KCMY)

Ink migration

What problems would an improper ink sequence present? Ink sticks together-scum,hickeys

Explain the drying methods for the major processes: sheetfed offset, electrophotography, heatset/coldset web offset.

Coldset web offset: printing on newsprint, lower quality print (wiping the newsprint with grease from your forehead, you will smudge the ink)

Heatset offset is used to speed up the evaporation of the solvent (oil) from the ink.

Sheetfed: UV drying or oxygen cross links with the help from dryers

Electrophotography: extreme heat once the toner is dried through into the sheet.

What are the issues and advantages to UV-cured offset lithographic inks? Photoinitiators, cured by UV light and dries instantly- it is very expensive and can be dangerous.

Distinguish a continuous dampening system from a ducted (direct) dampening system.

Continuous systems have an ink roller that directly touches the rollers that touch the blanket. Direct systems have a small wheel that moves back and forth between the ink roller and the rollers that deliver the ink to the blanket.

What are the considerations of fountain solution?

Not to use too much fountain solution concentrate because too strong a mixture can attack the ink, paper, or plate

Ohms-whatever they measure conductivity by

Measures conductivity to prevent issues

There has been an established concentration of fountain solution that performs best for dampening system and printing requirements

Name the layers of an offset litho blanket. What is demanded of a blanket?

Rubber face, polyester liquid-resistant layer (compressible layer), carcass (keeps dimensional stability)

Demands

-resistance to all dampening solution additives

-hydrophobic properties to minimize water transfer to paper

-low tendency to become electrostatically charged

-low sheet adhesion to prevent picking

-lateral sealing to prevent dampening solution from entering the inner structure of the blanket

-free from nicks, pinholes, low spots, and bumps

What is the purpose of gum in the offset lithographic process?

Eliminate plate/roller sensitivity/oxidation

Practical Points of Paper

What can a swatch book tell you? Paper specifications

How does the choice of paper affect the printed product? In regard to:

Readability of text- This is how easy it is to clearly see the print. Usually when it is mainly text heavy prints they use uncoated, yellow toned paper because it is easier for our eyes to see and we don’t have to deal with glare from coated paper.

Image quality- Having a coated paper is better for this. The ink sits on top of the paper and there is less dot gain which means less tone compression.

Finishing & Binding- grain direction is important, the caliper of the paper is also a consideration.

Durability of the final product, lifespan- how it acclimates to moisture in the press room, light fastness, how long the paper can last till it yellows.

What are the Basic Sheet Sizes of: bond, text, index, cover

Bond: 17 x 22

Text: 25 x 38

Index: 25.5 x 30.5

Cover: 20 x 26

Explain Basis Weight & M-Weight

Basis weight: the weight of 500 sheets of the basic size for that class of paper- this is the pound number on the label of the paper.

M-weight: how much 1,000 sheets cut at basis weight weighs

How to calculate paper weight, quantity

Know how to tell the difference of basis weight/M weight and how to derive the appropriate weight of the ream. Something with multiplying square footage of the paper size by the number of sheets and then something else.

Know how to read a paper label.

Size: 25 x 38, M-weight: 366 lbs, Basis weight: 100 lbs, # of sheets: 400 sheets, class of paper: cover, brand of paper: sappi, coating: gloss

What pressroom environment considerations are of concern for production?

Too humid can cause wavy edge

Too dry can cause tight edge

Dimensional stability- making sure the paper maintains its shape

What is acclimation time? 24 hours before printing.

Be able to diagram a paper cutting plan.

By the Numbers

17 x 22 = bond

25 x 38 = text

20 x 26 = cover

16oz in a pint

B1 = 28 x 40 *most common width of a sheet for the litho press

B2 = 19 x 28

Vocabulary

Rich black: black with cyan

Must Knows

Goniometer - measures surface tension

SWOP - Specifications for Web Offset Publication

GRACoL - General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography

RPC - Reference Print Conditions

How do you create efficiency and increase productivity?

Larger press

Faster press

Reduced drying time (speed of ink drying)

Automation (auto plate loading, press to stop)

Reducing mistakes

What is commercial printing?

Making money by printing jobs

Making money for yourself by making others money

Drives commerce

Integrates data

Speed is everything

Found these makeready steps on canvas:

Set up Paper Feeder

- Acclimation - Position paper pile- Vacuum pressure, pile height, double sheet detection

Set up Registration System

- Set head stops- Set side guides- Set tail wheels

Plate Mounting

- Square and centeredInking System and Dampening System

- Adjust default key settings- Adjust default ink stroke- Check slip nip- Check dampening conductivity temp

Check registration

- Image to press sheet- Color to color - Traps

Bring Job up to Color

- Consult specs for job- Measure

Obtain an “OK” (press check)

- Match proof- Consult customer