FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The 3 Greatest Commandments:

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

The 3 Greatest Commandments:

We all know there are a bazillion different commandments out there on how to improve print quality. Several commandments are solely dedicated to color management policies in Adobe CS products and also for a great variety of RIPs. Other commandments deal with process issues on every production departments. The rest speak of the different process controls we need to monitor at each process step.

But one fine day, not so long before, one homey went to this rabbi and asked the great teacher what the 3 most important commandments were. And the rabbi responds: Love thy neighbor's wife.....oooops!!!! Just kidding, guys.

Seriously, though: Here are the top 3....IMHO.

1. You shall keep your CMY midtone spread within 3%....preferably 1%;
2. You shall have paper according to ISO 12647-2 specified paper cast
3. You shall have inks according to ISO 2846

In my Six Sigma class we were taught one single truth: We should think in terms of "Y = f(x)". It means the output (Y) is a function of all the input (x1, x2, x3...). Which also suggests that the output (good print quality) is deterministic -- but only if all the input parameters are known....and controlled (top 3 commandments, etc...).

I mentioned these 3 inputs (x) as the most pressing issues because it give us the greatest impact, the ultimate bang for the buck, when we want to improve our PRINT quality level (Y).

Here's how to do it:

1. You shall keep your CMY midtone spread within 3%....preferably 1%
If your actual press tonal value increase (TVI) on 40% screen is C51%, M54%, Y49%....our midtone spread would be 5% (54% - 49% = 5%). That means we have to recalibrate our process to keep the distance between the MIN TVI and MAX TVI within 3%....preferably within 1%!

Keeping our CMY midtone spread very close to each other will help ensure gray balanced printing. Hopefully, a Delta C of <1.5

2. You shall have paper according to ISO 12647-2 specified paper cast
The Delta E and Delta H of our solids (C100, M100, Y100, K100) is greatly affected by the color of our paper. Using paper color other than what has been specified in the standards may result into color shifts on the press if the difference is huge. If this happens it may be very difficult, at times impossible, to match our soft and hard copy proofs with our press sheets.

The solution? It's very simple. Let's get the paper values (color cast, ISO brightness, roughness and gloss) as specified in the ISO 12647-2: Amd 1 standards and convey it to our paper supplier.

3. You shall have inks according to ISO 2846
We need to REQUIRE our supplier to provide us with standardized inks. Please take note of the following specs:

ISO 2846-1 (sheetfed), ISO 2846-2 (web coldset), ISO 2846-3 (gravure), ISO 2846-4 (screen ) and ISO 2846-5 (flexo).

Equally important is to ask the supplier to provide us with a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) as a documented proof that their inks comply with the standards. The CoA shall also include other important items (ie viscosity, transparency, tack, Delta E, etc...).

By knowing in advance the vital few inputs (X1, X2, X3...) that we need to monitor and control then our lives will surely be easier since the outcome (Y) has already been determined even before the actual production begins. This is what we call print quality assurance.

By the way, there's this 4th and final commandement: Thou shall keep your darn eyes from your neighbor's 2nd wife.

sir larry,


since you have the most experience in printing industry ( i think so ).

i just wanna have some advice of how streaks can be overcome.operator po ako ng single color machine preferably heidelberg and solna.does packing of blanket and other cylinders involve in this kind of problem. o ung mga form rollers ang may kinalaman dito.o pressure adjustments lang po ito.

pls. give me some advice about it.


salamat po,
GABRIEL

Hi Gabriel. I don't think I'm the right guy to ask. Ang daming batikan dito.

Gabriel, mahirap mag comment pag di namin makita eh. Pero check mo na rin ang distance ng plate to blanket cylinder mo and lahat ng rollers.

Maybe you could take a snapshot nung tirada and post mo dito sa site so everyone can see and comment. Sigurado madami tayong makukuhang ideas.

Btw, welcome aboard!

SIR LARRY,


salamat po sa advice.nakuha po sa tiyaga bawas lng ako ng packing sa blanket at adjustment ng form rollers nawala ang streak.marami po akong natututunan sa inyo lagi ko pong binabasa ang mga messages nyo.

i'm just 26 yrs. old 9 yrs na rin akong operator 3 yrs. sa stripping batang nagsimula kaya mahal ko na ang imprenta.wala po b kayong vacancy ngayon dyan baka po matulungan nyo po ako, gusto ko rin po ma experience mag work abroad kahit nga po helper ok lng, importante makakuha po ng different ideas about printing.pangarap ko rin po kc makapagumpisa ng sarili kahit maliit lng po.


thanks,
GABRIEL

Hi Gabriel. Thanks, pare. Lahat naman tayo natuto sa mga kasamahan natin sa industriya.

If you want to work overseas madaming mga recruitment agencies sa makati and malate area. Just make sure na accredited ng POEA sila. Walang opening dito sa amin at present.

Kung may makita kang opening sa Saudi Arabia, timbrihan mo ako kung anong pangalan ng company para ma-background check natin kung okay ba ang amo and kung nagpapasweldo ba sila on time. Importante kung may advance information ka about your future employer, di ba.

sir larry.

as of now naghhanap nga po ako sa mga ads e. as soon as may makita po ako mail ko agad sa inyo thanks for the support.actually 3 yrs. na rin po akong nag work sa cruise ship kya lng ibang linya e.hinahanap ko po tlga ang trbahong imprenta kc nandito na rin lng ako marami na rin naman po akong natutunan sa industriya.at mas mganda kung mapapalawak ko pa db.malaking tulong po pag nag sarili po ako.



thanks,

GABRIEL