Best Practices: Press Operator Training

Key among these is maintenance. Digital presses all have specific maintenance schedules intended to help maximize print capacity and efficiency. Assenheimer says regular maintenance routines are the single most important thing a digital press operator can do to minimize unexpected downtime.

While flexo press operators are taught many press maintenance processes while learning to operate a press—these are basically part of the job—this hasn’t necessarily been the case for digital press operators. For many years, digital press vendors were reluctant to empower operators to do much in the way of maintenance. Now though, digital press operators are taught most routine and even many major service procedures for their machine. Often, service routines are even integrated into the software on the press. When followed carefully and on schedule, regular service improves press reliability and uptime while reducing reliance on vendors’ service personnel. The additional training is an investment, but typically pays off in better press reliability and a higher level of operator skill and knowledge.