Abstract: A method for operating a web printing press is provided. The method includes unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web; during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired standard; stopping the web after the makeready; rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready pass back through the print unit; and unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit. A press and printed product are also provided.

Abstract: A method is provided of charging an inker in a lithographic printing press. The method comprises placing all of the printing units of the printing press in an off impression position, with a continuous substrate passing through the printing units, each printing unit including a blanket cylinder; and in one or more printing units of the plurality of printing units, moving the takeaway roller into contact with the blanket cylinder of the printing unit. Thereafter, the method includes driving the ink train, plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and the take away roller at a first surface speed, whereby the ink from the ink train transmitted to the plate cylinder from the ink train, from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder, and from the blanket cylinder to the take away roller; and during said driving step, keeping the continuous substrate stationary or moving the continuous substrate at a second surface speed less than 50% of the first surface speed.

Abstract: A method for operating a web printing press is provided. The method includes unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web; during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired standard; stopping the web after the makeready; rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready pass back through the print unit; and unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit. A press and printed product are also provided.

Abstract: A method for determining blanket performance in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plate cylinder having a printing plate transferring an image to a blanket on a blanket cylinder for printing on a substrate. The method includes determining an acceptable range of nip force (Fp) between a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder in a printing unit, calculating the nip force (Fp) between the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder and determining blanket performance based on the nip force with respect to the acceptable range of nip force. A printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A method for operating a web printing press is provided. The method includes unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web; during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired standard; stopping the web after the makeready; rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready pass back through the print unit; and unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit. A press and printed product are also provided.

Abstract: A method of inking a substrate in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plurality of printing units, each printing unit includes a blanket cylinder, a plate cylinder and an inker. The method includes the steps of running the plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and inker at a press speed, driving the inker independently, printing on a substrate with a desired ink film thickness at the press speed and stopping the press for a press stop event. Stopping the press further includes stopping the inker at a maximum stop rate, stopping the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder at a normal stop rate and moving the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder into an off impression position.

Abstract: A method of preventing damage in a printing press is provided. The method includes determining a minimum value at which tension in a web in the printing press is capable of damaging at least one web contacting component of the printing press; sensing a tension in the web in the printing press; and severing the web when the sensed tension reaches the minimum determined tension value. A printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A method for determining blanket performance in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plate cylinder having a printing plate transferring an image to a blanket on a blanket cylinder for printing on a substrate. The method includes determining an acceptable range of nip force (Fp) between a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder in a printing unit, calculating the nip force (Fp) between the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder and determining blanket performance based on the nip force with respect to the acceptable range of nip force. A printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A method for operating a web printing press is provided. The method includes unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web; during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired standard; stopping the web after the makeready; rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready pass back through the print unit; and unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit. A press and printed product are also provided.

Abstract: A method of inking a substrate in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plurality of printing units, each printing unit includes a blanket cylinder, a plate cylinder and an inker. The method includes the steps of running the plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and inker at a press speed, driving the inker independently, printing on a substrate with a desired ink film thickness at the press speed and stopping the press for a press stop event. Stopping the press further includes stopping the inker at a maximum stop rate, stopping the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder at a normal stop rate and moving the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder into an off impression position.

Abstract: A method and printing press for performing the method is provided for recording print processing conditions on a printed web of a rewind roll during operation of a printing press to print a print job, including associating sensed printing process parameters with tracked locations on the web at which the printing process parameters were sensed such that, for each tracked location, there is an associated set of printing process parameters; storing in memory, for each tracked location, the associated set of printing process parameters; and storing in memory an identification of the rewind roll, and an association of the rewind roll with the associated set of printing process parameters for each tracked location.

Abstract: A method is provided of charging an inker in a lithographic printing press. The method comprises placing all of the printing units of the printing press in an off impression position, with a continuous substrate passing through the printing units, each printing unit including a blanket cylinder; and in one or more printing units of the plurality of printing units, moving the takeaway roller into contact with the blanket cylinder of the printing unit. Thereafter, the method includes driving the ink train, plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and the take away roller at a first surface speed, whereby the ink from the ink train transmitted to the plate cylinder from the ink train, from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder, and from the blanket cylinder to the take away roller; and during said driving step, keeping the continuous substrate stationary or moving the continuous substrate at a second surface speed less than 50% of the first surface speed.

Abstract: A method of preparing cylinders for printing on a web during auto transfer operations is provided. The method includes the steps of printing images on a web with at least one first printing cylinder; accelerating at least one second printing cylinder so that the at least one second printing cylinder has a surface velocity that equals a velocity of the web; adjusting a phasing of the at least one second printing cylinder with respect to the web during the accelerating step and before the surface velocity of the at least one second printing cylinder equals the velocity of the web; moving the at least one first printing cylinder away from the web and moving the at least one second printing cylinder towards the web; and printing images on the web with the at least one second printing cylinder. A printing press configured for auto transfer is also provided.

Abstract: A method of preventing damage in a printing press is provided. The method includes determining a minimum value at which tension in a web in the printing press is capable of damaging at least one web contacting component of the printing press; sensing a tension in the web in the printing press; and severing the web when the sensed tension reaches the minimum determined tension value. A printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A color control system for use in a printing press is provided. The system includes a controller for reviewing digital data for a print job and identifying solid color regions of the print job that are greater than a predetermined size, a user interface allowing an operator to select solid color regions identified by the controller, a sensor for measuring a characteristic of the selected solid color regions of the print job on a printed substrate, the controller determining measured values of the characteristic for each of the selected solid color regions, and at least one inking unit for supplying ink in a plurality of ink zones to a plate cylinder, the controller varying the ink supplied to ink zones including the solid color regions as function of a difference between the measured value of the characteristic of each selected solid color region and a predetermined target value of the characteristic. A method for controlling printing of a printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A web printing press is provided including a printing unit for printing a web, a delivery for printed products formed from the web, the web and printed products defining a printed product stream, a first sensor sensing a first characteristic of the web or printed products, a controller connected to the first sensor, and an indicator indicating in real-time a print defect in the printed product stream as a function of the first sensor. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A method for calculating an instantaneous total volume of printing fluid used in a printing press is provided. The method includes inputting parameters of a printing fluid dispenser into a controller, calculating an instantaneous total volume of printing fluid consumed by the printing fluid dispenser using the controller and displaying the calculated instantaneous total volume of printing fluid on a human machine interface. A printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A method of operating a web printing press is provided. The method includes storing productivity data, press speeds and paper types of past print jobs run on the web printing press in a database; comparing a paper type of a new print job with the paper types of the past print jobs stored in the database to identify past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job; selecting a press speed for the new print job based on at least the productivity data of the past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job; and printing the new print job on the web printing press at the selected press speed.

Abstract: A color control system for use in a printing press is provided. The system includes a controller for reviewing digital data for a print job and identifying solid color regions of the print job that are greater than a predetermined size, a user interface allowing an operator to select solid color regions identified by the controller, a sensor for measuring a characteristic of the selected solid color regions of the print job on a printed substrate, the controller determining measured values of the characteristic for each of the selected solid color regions, and at least one inking unit for supplying ink in a plurality of ink zones to a plate cylinder, the controller varying the ink supplied to ink zones including the solid color regions as function of a difference between the measured value of the characteristic of each selected solid color region and a predetermined target value of the characteristic. A method for controlling printing of a printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A method of operating a web printing press is provided. The method includes storing productivity data, press speeds and paper types of past print jobs run on the web printing press in a database; comparing a paper type of a new print job with the paper types of the past print jobs stored in the database to identify past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job; selecting a press speed for the new print job based on at least the productivity data of the past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job; and printing the new print job on the web printing press at the selected press speed.