Abstract: In printing machines, especially offset printing machines, an ink profile is produced in the inking unit by means of adjustable dosing devices associated with respective ink zones. A proper production-run state is quickly realized by first implementing a filling process in which the dosing devices are moved into a first filling gap width across the entire breadth of the inking unit. Then the dosing devices are moved briefly into a transitional gap width which deviates more from the first filling gap width than that of the setting for the production-run ink profile. Thereafter, the dosing devices are moved into the setting corresponding to the production-run ink profile.

Abstract: A method of determining printing-ink consumption in an offset printing press includes feeding printing ink to an inking unit of a printing press via an ink duct having adjustable ink-gap openings, and via an ink-duct roller which absorbs the ink emerging from the ink-gap openings; determining ink-film thicknesses (s.sub.F) from the ink-gap openings, and ink-strip length (l.sub.F) and ink-strip width (b.sub.F) per unit time from the rotational speed of the ink-duct roller, and calculating therewith the quantity of printing ink supplied per unit time of per number of printed products in accordance with the equationM.sub.F =K.times.s.sub.F .times.l.sub.F .times.b.sub.F .times.fwherein K represents a constant specific to the printing-press and f represents both a function specific to an adjustment of the press and also a function specific to the material, and displaying the determined ink consumption.