A SUPPLEMENT TO MONTHLY Nonstop Printing Goss Automatic Transfer Technology Opens Up Exclusive On-the-Run Changeover Advantages MAY 2005 Performance Reports from First Users Technology That Delivers riting about productive breakthrough tech- high productivity, high efficiency and high versatility is nology that benefits both printers and their for the first time not a function of nor dependent on run customers is one of the real treats of my length, short or long. W It’s no exaggeration to say that web printers, job because doing so allows me to shine a light on a whole series of activities customarily carried out in out- squeezed between ever-shorter print runs and tougher of-the-way places by individuals who seldom see any challenges to keep costs down, have been asking for kind of spotlight. this kind of automated versatility for years. So while I’m exploring the technical details of a The engineering accomplishment becomes clear given innovation, I can also learn about the efforts of when you consider that, for maximum efficiency, all individuals: their sense of market needs, projections mechanical actions needed to be controlled automati- about the next generation of equipment, their cally from the touch-screen of the press console, cer- thoughtful problem-solving and engineering accom- tainly not by operators wielding wrenches. Thus, engi- plishments, and how they can make the technology neers have paired Automatic Transfer technology with operator-friendly and attractive to printing managers. extensive workflow software that controls virtually all functions of the current job and the next one. Engineers and product developers may The back story on innovation work behind the scenes but they stand in It’s fascinating to note that the Sunday press itself a timeline of industry innovation. was a product of intense innovation that yielded the gapless, tubular-type printing blanket, high operating The open and closed case speed and wider web design. The basic elements were Which brings us to Goss International and the conceived in the 1980s by a team of engineers of the development of its Automatic Transfer feature for the company, then known as Harris Graphics Corporation, company’s Sunday gapless web offset presses for com- who were seeking the next-generation successor to the mercial and publication markets. The basis of the “AT” M-1000 model that ruled web plants. option, as Goss refers to it, is a patented technology Harris, which was bought by Heidelberg of Germany that allows an exceptionally wide opening between the in 1988, demonstrated a gapless press in 1990, then blanket cylinders on idle printing units. The opening is debuted the Sunday 3000 model in 1993 under the wide enough for the running web to pass straight Heidelberg Harris name. Late last year, Goss through the “off-impression” cylinders without any con- International completed its acquisition of the web press tact whatsoever. operation from Heidelberg. Halting the upper and lower cylinders of the AT units Thus, the engineers and product developers who while the press is still running allows those cylinders to worked on Automatic Transfer technology stand in a be mounted with new plates; thus, presses equipped timeline of innovation that’s among the best in the with two AT units can allow for quick version changes graphic arts industry. We can all be assured that even (for example, a black-only price or language change), now they’re giving thoughtful attention to the next while a press having eight AT units can accommodate a enhancement, the next generation of technology that full four-color job change on the fly. Use of Goss’s con- will benefit both printers and their customers. sole-controlled Autoplate plate-changing system com- pletes the full innovation, requiring only that operators load the Autoplate cassettes. The accomplishment: up to zero-makeready print production for a succession of jobs on a web offset press, or nonstop, on-the-fly color or black-only plate Editorial Director changes on the same run. This unique combination of [email protected] S2 graphicartsmonthly.com may 05 Patented System Changeover Breakthrough atented Automatic Transfer (AT) er to printer depending on the mix of jobs an AT-equipped Sunday press and pro- technology developed by Goss and equipment configuration, Goss offi- ducing the right work mix conceivably International for its Sunday web cials estimate that for a printing operation could move from job to job on the press offset presses is bringing the performing 12 makereadies per day, the without the usual delays or waste attribut- Pconcept of the “lights-out” pressroom a time savings AT represents could be as able to job changeover. The result, they few steps closer to reality. much as four hours per day. note, would be a virtually continuous The innovative AT option from Goss In terms of paper savings, Goss says operation (save for maintenance, of (www.gossinternational.com) enables that on-the-run print transfer from one job course), fulfilling market trends that are printers to complete job changeovers to the next can cut paper waste by a factor moving both toward shorter jobs and without having to stop the press, a break- of 10 or even 20, easily resulting in longer runs with versioning, produced through that represents an enormous wastage of less than 100 copies in some with impressive operational efficiency. boost in productivity and one that corre- cases. With the ability to make on-the-run lates directly to the savings of time, paper Regarding manpower, AT technology version changes by bringing either one or and labor. advances a printer’s workflow routines in more idle web printing units on impres- the pressroom, requiring fewer people to sion while simultaneously taking another Savings abound run the machinery. unit or group of units off impression, AT While the measurement of time sav- In fact, Goss developers say they envi- maintains a straight web lead. ings obviously can vary greatly from print- sion a printing company that’s operating Unlike competitive on-the-run transfer systems, Goss says its AT system does not require air bars or diverters that can adversely affect print quality or limit the positioning of the printing units within the press line. Indeed, AT units, which mechanically operate virtually identically to standard Sunday printing units, can be placed anywhere within a press line, and can print on both sides of the web. Nonstop, pushbutton ease Up to eight AT printing units can be configured on a Sunday press, allowing complete four-color job changeovers with- out stopping for a makeready, say Goss officials. Critical in the aid of this effort is Goss’s Autoplate technology, which enables a press operator to change plates on an idle unit with the push of a button while the press is printing. Read on within this special supplement to learn more about how Goss AT tech- nology for Sunday presses works to streamline efficiencies by achieving zero- makeready production and on-the-fly job changes, thereby widening the market opportunities for your business. ■ AT technology on all units of an eight-color Goss Sunday web press allows up to four- color on-the-run form changes. may 05 graphicartsmonthly.com S3 First U.S. User Opening Doors to Profitablilty of projects for those clients.” Adds Ron Lanio, vice president of Geographics, which has earned the sales for Geographics, “We have to Printing Association of Georgia's “Top almost be a marketing company now, and Notch” Award for printing quality three of help our customers reach their customers the last four years, serves many well- more directly and in a more personalized known companies, including some of the way. Our customers are excited about the largest in the Atlanta area, like CNN, new, cost-effective opportunities for ver- Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Georgia- sioning that we are going to be able to Pacific, Home Depot and UPS. In its ongo- provide with the automation and waste- ing pursuit to meet the demands of those reduction features of the Sunday 2000.” customers, Geographics recently installed Geographics equipped its six-unit a six-unit, 24-page Sunday 2000 press, the Sunday 2000 with two AT printing units, first of its kind in the United States to be Autoplate functionality, a Contiweb CS installed with Automatic Transfer (AT) splicer, Ecocool dryer with integrated chill functionality. rolls, and pinless combination and former folders. Shorter runs… “The combination of AT, Autoplate “The market for high-quality commer- and Sunday gapless technology creates cial printing is going in the direction of an ideal platform for us to better serve our shorter runs, with more versioning,” customers,” Hagan continues. “We’ll cut explains Hagan, who says the Sunday makeready time and paper waste to a 2000 installation was part of his company’s minimum, and even eliminate some make- recent $11 million expansion of its readies altogether. And with the AT units’ Norvin C. Hagan is guiding Geographics in all 400,000-square-foot facility. ability to operate as a standard printing the directions that its print clients require. “Print run lengths have come down unit, we also have the option of using all substantially from those in the past,” he six units for six-color jobs.” states. “Instead of single runs of 800,000 hen it comes to foster- or 900,000, customers are now asking us Reduced crewing ing its business growth, to do 12 or 15 individual versions that total Moreover, says Hagan, with AT and Atlanta-based 800,000 or 900,000. This is totally different Autoplate, Geographics expects to run Geographics knows from a cost standpoint, and we have to be the press with a reduced crew and run it thatW success lies in continuously refining competitive on these jobs.” continuously through several edition the scope of its service offerings.