Unit 1 Offset Machine Characteristics

AG01-Offset machinery Unit 1 Offset machine characteristics

1. Machinery Characteristics Before we saw the pioneer offset machinery manufacturers around the world.

Most of these pioneers distribute around all Europe, having a wide market to provide their services.

It is important to distinguish between sizes, speed and number of colour press and devices of the different offset machinery.

TO KNOW MORE If you want to know more about the pioneer Europe offset machine providers you can have a look at their official webpages. Heidelberg Roland

1.1. Main technical specifications of the offset machinery It’s important to distinguish between the different offset machines and the basic characteristics that define a machine. Before the printing process, it is necessary to do a previous thinking work. That consists of choosing the perfect machine in order to obtain a specific product spending the less time and money possible. Think always with the best work and service. So all is related with the machine we use and the characteristics that define this particular machine.

Now we are going to have a look at the different types of the Heidelberg offset machines and the different characteristics between them.

Sheetfed Offset

In the following webpage link you will find the different technical specifications of the different offset machinery. Now, in groups of 3 you will have to take each of these sheets and relate the type of the machine with the main characteristics. Below you have the board you will need to follow with a simple example. Good luck!

Sheetfed characteristics

AG01_Offset Machinery / Unit 1 1 Offset machine Technical characteristics Technical characteristics 35 x 50 Speedmaster SM 52 … … …. … k

c Max. sheet size 370mm x 520 mm o t

s Min. sheet size 105mm x 145 mm

n Thickness 0.03mm x 0.40mm i t

n Gripper margin 8-10 mm i r P … … … … … …

1.2. Results. Final exposition Finally, once you and your group have done your board, you will need to do an exposition explaining and comparing which type of machine is bigger/smaller than others, which one works faster/slower than others etc. Don’t forget to use connectors in your speech.

Firstly… As we can see… Moreover, therefore… In conclusion…

HIGHLIGHTS Remember that to work properly we will need to have in mind some basic points:  Knowing the size of the product that will be created and printed  Once we know the technical specifications, choosing the best offset machinery to print our final product.  Doing our work in less time and less money in order to reduce costs.

2. General Characteristics 2.1. General characteristics of the offset machinery Offset lithography is one of the most common ways of creating printed matter. A few of its common applications include: newspapers, magazines, brochures, stationery, and books. Compared to other printing methods, offset printing is best suited for economically producing large volumes of high quality prints in a manner that requires little maintenance. Many modern offset presses use computer to plate systems as opposed to the older computer to film work flows, which further increases their quality.

And now, we will see the activity related to the video to think about if these affirmations are true or false. Mark each affirmation like the following board shows:

T True F False

AG01_Offset Machinery / Unit 1 2 Offset technic is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred. Offset printing produces sharp and clean images and type more easily than, for example, letterpress printing. Time and cost associated with producing plates and printing press setup. As a result, a very small quantity of printing jobs may now use digital offset machines. Properly developed plates used with optimized inks and fountain solution may achieve run lengths of more than a million impressions. Offset produce superior image quality compared to rotogravure or photogravure printing. Offset printing is the cheapest method for producing high quality prints in commercial printing quantities. A further advantage of offset printing is the possibility of adjusting the amount of ink on the fountain roller with screw keys. Offset technic has a quick and easy production of printing plates.

2.1.1. General characteristics of the offset machinery When you finish you will have to compare your answers with your partner. Argue which sentences are true and which are false. At the end, you will have to rewrite the sentences and change the false into true ones.

2.2. General characteristics of the offset lithography technic The offset machinery uses a basic technic called the lithography. That process is based on the repulsion of oil and water. Today, most types of high-volume books and magazines, especially when illustrated in colour, are printed with offset lithography.

Search information about lithography technic on the Internet and invent 6 sentences (3 true and 3 false) about the lithography technic. When you have finished exchange your sheet with your partner and try to find out which are the true and the false ones. Don’t forget to modify the false sentences onto true ones. Here you have to examples: The lithographic process is based on the repulsion of oil and alcohol Offset lithography became the most popular form of commercial printing from the 1950s

AG01_Offset Machinery / Unit 1 3 Remember that if you have any vocabulary doubt you can have a look here:

Graphic Arts Dictionary

TO KNOW MORE Offset lithography was used and known in the earlier 1950s as the popular form of commercial printing, and this technique is still nowadays used to produce thousands of publications around the world each day. If you want to know more of this technique visit: Lithography technic

3. Dictation ink characteristics 3.1.General characteristics of the ink The printing ink process is an art work. That’s because the process is complicated and requires a lot of time to adjust the perfect conditions and materials to have a good ink.

You will have to watch the video twice. Try to understand the printing ink process. Then trey to answer the following questions related with the text. Good luck.

How ink is made

 What is ink used for nowadays in the market?  What is the 4-colour system ink?  What is and what happens with the last colour of the system?  What two components is the ink composed of?  Resume briefly the steps that the man explains to make ink.  How many machines and how many rollers are necessary to do the ink creation process?  Why is it necessary the first ink control once the ink is created?  Explain the importance of the tack in the process.  What does the man refers to at the end of the video when he says it is also needed?  What other things other than just the materials are used to create the ink?

TO KNOW MORE We are in a new era where printing ink is undergoing change. Non-polluting, energy saving, resource reducing problems are being combated with the development of new types of ink. If you want to know more information about the ink and its production click on the following links:

The 4 colors (CMYK) ink work

Types and features of offset inks

AG01_Offset Machinery / Unit 1 4 AG01_Offset Machinery / Unit 1 5