One Web's Dual-Weave

Will web offset ultimately gain greater quality or efficiency momentum?

By Susan Friedman

You've got to hand it to offset for being such a well-rounded printing process—the printing equivalent of a person who's attractive and athletic, with a good personality to boot. Web offset, of late, has brought many positives to many package printers.

Eric Short, president of RDP Marathon, confirms web offset's continuing ability to satisfy on multiple counts with his prediction that this process will be strongest in both high-volume and high-quality package printing applications in the coming year. Several recently introduced presses appear poised to make this prediction come true, but what aspect of web offset stands to get the biggest boost?

High-end web offset: still narrow?

The major web offset press introductions of the '90s allowed package printers to set themselves apart by reaching new heights in printed label appearance. Nilpeter's 13" M-3300 press, first released four years ago, unveiled a combination platform of offset with UV flexo, screen, and hot foil stamping. The M-3300 drew a high degree of interest from sheet-fed offset printers, relates Nilpeter President John Little, but label printers across the board recognized the automatic value-added advantages of web offset's integration with other processes.

Using offset in combination with other processes enabled the web segment to address markets formerly exclusive to sheet-fed, such as wine labels and health/beauty aids, says Little, and demonstrate upgraded quality capabilities to customers and prospects. What's more, Little adds, converters wanting to enter the pressure-sensitive label market could finally use offset to produce labels that would match sheet-fed offset printed cartons. In addition, going the web route presented new efficiencies for longer runs.

It's evident from the momentum of combination presses that high-end web offset will continue to grow—bringing auxiliary processes right along with it. Bob Yates, sales manager for Gallus, contends there isn't a huge need for straight web offset in the prime label market. He sees the most growth potential in long-run wine/spirits labels, and flat demand in long-run health/beauty labels.

If partnership with other processes is a proven path to web offset profitability, how can printers be sure they are crafting the appropriate process twosomes, trios, and quartets on press? Richard E. Moreman, V.P. of engineering at Stevens International, explains integrating offset systems with flexo can improve aesthetics in a host of situations. "Offset offers better clarity and reproduction of photos and text," he points out, "but flexo has advantages where large areas of solid coverage are required. Litho may have a tendency to starve or ghost in these cases." Moreman also contends flexo can support offset quite handily when metallic inks are on press, with its superior ability to carry heavy metallic particulates.

Offset printers open to this process coupledom can capitalize on flexo's ability to deliver a greater film thickness in applications including background solids on folding cartons or bags and pouches; gold or silver accents or solids on cartons or bags; and clear, high-gloss scratch-resistant coatings.

Yates adds other examples of common process groupings, including offset and UV flexo for wine/spirit labels; offset, UV flexo, and screen for health/beauty labels; and offset, multiple flexo stations, hot foil stamping, and embossing for cartons.

Offering multiple approaches to making quality labels isn't cheap, though package printers who can foot the bill for a new press (which may cost over $2 million) often realize a fast ROI because of offset's low consumables cost. Still, a limited number of printers have pockets deep enough to inhabit the high-end, web offset world. "Maybe competition will increase the amount of people who want to go offset, but the smaller printers can't get into this game; only a few can afford these presses," Little confirms. But could increased, high-volume efficiency, via wider presses, turn these few into many?

Stretching efficiencies

Suppliers have varied target audiences in mind for the new, wider generation of web offset presses. Nilpeter's 20" M-5200 combination platform press, for instance, is designed to allow offset boxboard and flexible packaging printers to reap the value-added benefits of integrating auxiliary processes in-line.

RDP Marathon has set its sights on capturing high-volume pressure-sensitive business with the release of a 26" litho/flexo web press for package printing, the LF 260. Though the LF 260 is the sister press to RDP's 20" LF 200, Short explains the wider platform is actually a new rendition of RDP's 26" SR 260 press for direct mail and business forms. While the LF 200 is directed toward high-quality print jobs in shorter-run quantities of thousands and ten thousands, the LF 260's main objective is efficient production, via higher speeds and less waste, of hundreds of thousands or even millions of less ornate labels that require diecutting or other converting in-line.

The attractiveness of web offset for its efficiency alone is evident from Pinnacle Label's operations. Todd Wojciechowski, director of manufacturing, relates offset's clean, clear printed result is a definite plus, but it is offset's speed and simplicity that keep it positioned as sole process of choice for Pinnacle's roll-to-sheet, pressure-sensitive label production line. Pinnacle marries release liner and facestock material in-line using a hot-melt process, and uses its four offset presses to print 30 percent to 40 percent of the labels produced. Wojciechowski says Pinnacle "doesn't do a lot of intricate printing" on these presses. "I feel offset is simple and cost-effective," he says, adding in comparison to setting up flexo's many components, such as anilox rolls, "it's a lot easier to burn a plate, get a blanket on there, and go."

Shorter-run work may require a slightly different web offset approach in order to maintain efficiency. "Continuous roll-fed offset harbors a greater tooling cost than any other process due to repeat changes," Yates points out. As an alternate, converters may want to consider intermittent offset presses, such as Gallus' TCS-250. Though these machines run more slowly, typically at 70 fpm, Yates says intermittent designs can provide faster set-ups with flat tooling, no gears, and servo motors for more productive short runs.

Every web offset printer, whether running wide or narrow, continuous or intermittent, can benefit from press efficiencies designed to speed makeready along. Moreman says Stevens offers pre-registration, or automatic cylinder set-up, to reduce set-up time and minimize waste. According to Short, RDP Marathon streamlines makeready with the Smart Set II™ Press Control System, which incorporates CIP3 compatibility with press presetting from a PC-based, touch screen operator console.

Moreman also reports increased interest in control features to reduce manpower, including console-based web video and/or in-line inspection, and an increased use of servo drives.