Best Practices: Press Operator Training

No matter what type of press your company uses, getting the best possible print quality still comes down to operator skill. On flexographic presses, these abilities are something of an art form, while on a digital press they are more a matter of adherence to numerous specific procedures. But there’s much more going on—a litany of best practices that can make the difference between average output and work that makes your company a superstar. Let’s take a look.

Key points of knowledge

Flexo presses, the go-to technology for many packaging applications, have evolved over time but still require broad operator expertise to deliver optimal results. According to Mark Andy University manager John Christiansen, operators need a solid understanding of the intricacies of inks, anilox rolls, sticky back tapes, dies, and doctor blades, plus familiarity with the enormous array of substrates that can be used. And this knowledge is only an entry point: there is no substitute for hands-on time running the press.

Digital presses are in many ways simpler to operate, but require different and often more conceptual levels of knowledge. Xeikon installation and training manager Tom Grenick says the essentials include understanding the concepts of calibration, color density control and registration. But the details go much deeper because the magic of digital presses takes place under the covers, rather than out in the open as it does on flexo machines. HP’s Michel Assenheimer, a senior manager and engineer in the company’s R & D Quality group, likens digital press operators to airline pilots in terms of needing to follow specific rules and procedures. “By establishing checklists and scheduled routines, pilots and press operators alike minimize risks and improve the experience for all.”

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.

Of course, conventional presses are hardly maintenance free. Thorough washdowns and cleaning are obviously essential, as is proper care of rolls and dies. Suppliers such as Kocher & Beck, RotoMetrics and Wilson Manufacturing encourage operators to take special care when using and storing rolls and dies to ensure these essential items deliver the best possible quality throughout their lifespan. Dies and anvils, for example, are very sensitive to pressure, so it’s critical that operators understand how to set pressures and keep the die running at optimal levels. Interestingly, knowledge of proper die, anvil and roll usage extends to digital print engine output, such as labels and folding cartons, that require offline finishing systems.

Practical experience

Digital and conventional press vendors all agree that the best foundation is the training they provide, either at a customer’s location, or preferably at an established training facility. But beyond that foundation, no matter the press, there is no substitute for hands-on experience—and lots of it.

“Repetition is the best non-formal training, as is learning from your mistakes. Keep good documentation, whether it’s a job log or recipe cards for each run,” encourages Christiansen.

The same is true for digital presses. “There is no substitute for practical experience,” affirms Grenick. Bolstering it are offerings like Xeikon’s “On Call Print Consultancy,” which Grenick encourages operators to use as needed, but especially when they have a big production run coming up so they can take advantage of the trainers’ experience. All digital press vendors offer similar programs and it is a smart practice to take advantage of them.

Online options

Still, one challenge with digital is that because the technology is still developing, there is not always a primary source of all knowledge. Further, because digital press owners tend to push the limits of what their presses can do, operators can be treading on unknown territory—and vendors may not always have ready answers. But increasingly, other operators do. There are equipment-specific online forums for all digital presses where operators can often find answers to problems. There are also user groups, such as Dscoop for HP Indigo users, that provide broad support and can expand expertise of digital press operators.

Flexo operators also don’t have to go it alone. Christiansen points to several flexo-related blogs and discussion forums on printplanet.com and flexoexchange.com, as well as some on LinkedIn and he also cites YouTube as another resource for helpful hints, tricks and instructional videos.

In the quest for top quality printing, training and applying the best practices come with the territory. No matter the type of press, optimal results come from operators seeking out and drawing on all possible sources of knowledge and making continuous learning part of their jobs. pP

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