Web Offset Technology: Press Classification and Infeed Units Development

WEB OFFSET TECHNOLOGY
By S.Ravichandran,B.E.,
SENIOR ENGINEER
THE HINDU
CHENNAI
PRESS CLASSIFICATION AND • Newspapers began the swing to web offset during
the 60s, when over half the weeklies and 20% of the
INFEED UNITS DEVELOPMENT
dailies made the switch from letterpress to web offset.
• The newspapers’ switch to web offset has been
• Alois Senefelder-the inventor of lithography 1796. influenced mainly by the size of each plant’s
• In 19th century, lithography was outclassed by operations.
letterpress for most printing and was confined largely • There has been a seeming lag in web offset
to the reproduction of illustrations ranging from works installation by the large dailies only because small
of art to posters. local plants found it easier to switch over to web offset
• But the invention of the offset press in the early 1900s, technology.
coupled with the great strides in photography and • As old equipment wears out and advertisers demand
photomechanical platemaking, were soon to give higher-quality reproduction, web offset makes gradual
lithographers a big advantage. inroads into even the largest of daily newspaper
• About 1904, Ira Rubel discovered that the rubber letterpress operations.
blanket covering the impression cylinder on a rotary • The bulk of web offset printing still includes
press did a better job of printing than could be promotional brochures, magazine inserts, catalogs,
obtained directly from the stone plate. annual reports, packaging, and all the miscellaneous
• Meanwhile, the increasing need for high-speed items that are best printed by the lithographic process.
printing created by the booming newspaper industry • Lithography is the name of the printing process,
had inspired the invention of the web perfecting press specifically the printing process using ink and water
in 1856. to transfer an image from a level-surfaced plate onto
• By 1875, a folding service was introduced, making another surface.
web printing even more efficient. • Offset means that the image carrier does not put the
• By 1950, web offset was ready for serious competition ink directly onto the paper or other substrate, but
with letterpress, as well as with sheetfed lithography. rather onto an intermediate surface first.
• The ability of the offset method to perfect – to print • Offset does not really mean lithography.
simultaneously on both sides of the paper – was • It is common, however, to use the two words to
unique and still is. indicate the same thing.
• 60s saw rapid acceleration of web offset’s growth in • Web offset is so called because its presses print on
the graphic arts industry. continuous webs of paper.
• The continued growth of web offset has depended • This is the basic difference between web and sheetfed
upon improvements in both equipment and supplies. presses.
• The quality of paper, inks, plates, blankets, and other • Two other significant differences between the two
press supplies have constantly improved to meet the are the much smaller gaps on the plate and blanket
ever-increasing requirements of greater speed and cylinders of the web press, which means that a much
quality placed on web offset printing. more continuous flow of ink and water is experienced,
• Improvements in both the basic press and its and the lack of a hard impression cylinder on the
equipment including dryers, infeeds, and folders have blanket-to-blanket web offset press.
kept pace with the growing need for increased speed • The elements of a web offset press are, in order,
and quality production. infeed, printing units (press), dryer, chill rolls, and
• In the past much of the swing of printing to web offset delivery (either a folder, sheeter, or rewinder)
was due to the economics involved. • A folder is used when the final product has one or
• Savings alone motivated many printers to switch to more folds in it.
web offset, regardless of other factors. • It delivers signatures ready for mailing or for binding
• Today there are many products that depend upon the with other signatures to form a magazine or book.
ability of heatset web offset to produce printing that is • A sheeter cuts the web and delivers flat, printed
sharp and has high gloss and heavy coverage. sheets.
Web Offset Technology Class Notes

• A rewinder, as the name implies, rewinds the printed » IN-LINE
web back into a roll form.
• Most business forms are printed on presses of the in-
• A folder produces signatures; a rewinder produces
line type.
rolls.
• These are nonperfecting presses in which each station
• The ends of the press are referred to as the infeed
contains an inking system, a dampening system, a
and delivery.
plate cylinder, and an impression cylinder.
• The sides also have special names.
• Such presses are generally small and equipped with
auxiliary devices like imprinters, numbering devices,
• On one side of the press is the driveshaft and gears
perforators, and punches.
that power the press. This side of the press is called
• Though these presses are generally smaller and less
gear side.
flexible, flexibility is not an important criterion in this
• The crew always works on the other side because
unique and specialized application of web offset.
this is where all the press controls are located. This is
called the operator side.
» BLANKET TO BLANKET
Printing couple • The most common commercial web offset press is the
blanket-to-blanket press.
• The term printing couple refers to everything • Each printing unit on a blanket-to-blanket press has
necessary to put one color of ink on one side of the two blanket cylinders simultaneously printing both
paper. sides of the web, each blanket cylinder serving as the
• In offset lithography, the printing couple includes an other’s impression cylinder.
inking system, a dampening system, a plate cylinder, a • Each blanket cylinder is part of a printing couple that
blanket cylinder, and an impression cylinder. also has a dampening system, inking system, and
• If another color is to be put on the paper, the paper plate cylinder.
has to go through another printing couple. • The popularity of the blanket-to-blanket press is due to
several factors:
Printing unit • It is capable of producing a high-quality product.
• Makereadies are very efficient.
• The term printing unit is less easily defined.
• The press is flexible in terms of web configurations
• Generally, a printing unit is a single physical structure
and colors run in one pass.
in which a number of printing couples are mounted.
• Paper passes through a dryer and cooling system only
• The term perfecting means that the sheet or web is
once.
printed on both sides during one run through the press
• Color is playing an ever-more-important role in the
or unit.
web offset printing in the early 1980’s.
• A blanket-to-blanket unit is therefore a perfecting unit
while a forms press may or may not be a perfecting
• On a blanket-to-blanket press, printing couples are
press.
usually stacked in pairs, one on top of the other.
• The blanket of one couple is next to the blanket of the
Classification other couple and the web runs squeezed in between
them.
• There are three types of web offset presses in use
• In other words, these presses have no impression
today.
cylinders; the blanket cylinder of the top couple acts
• IN-LINE
as the impression cylinder for the bottom couple and
• BLANKET TO BLANKET
vice-versa.
• COMMON IMPRESSION
• Since these units can print both sides of the web at
once, a blanket-to-blanket press is perfecting.
» IN-LINE • On a blanket-to-blanket press, the printing units are
• Each printing unit on an in-line press consists of a usually arranged one after the other, an arrangement
single printing couple: an inking system, a dampening that offers a great deal of flexibility.
system, a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, and an • With four units, one web can be run and four colors
impression cylinder. printed on each side.
• The printing units on an in-line press are • Or the press can be set up so that four webs are run
nonperfecting; that is, they can print only one side of and only one color printed per side.
the web at a time. • Blanket-to-blanket presses of the unit type come in

two basic configurations.
ROLL STANDS OR REEL STANDS
• The most common is the horizontal one, in which the
web runs through the printing units in a horizontal • There are three main components in a reel stand:
plane; the printing unit cylinders are therefore stacked • The reel support.
vertically, one on top of the other. • The sidelay.
• The other, or vertical type of blanket-to-blanket press, • The reel brake.
has the web running vertically between blankets, with
the cylinders laid out more or less horizontally.
THE REEL SUPPORT
• This kind of press allows for symmetrical design of
the printing units and provides easier access to the • This is usually either a shaft passing though the
printing couples. reel centre and upheld at each end by the machine
framework, or a pair of chucks which enter the core
ends from each side of the reelstand structure.
» COMMON IMPRESSION
• Common impression cylinder press or the CIC press.
• Each printing unit on a CIC press has one very large
THE SIDELAY
impression cylinder with four or five printing couples • A means of adjusting the lateral position of the reel in
arranged around it in radial fashion. the machine in relation to the printing units or other
• Because of the arrangement of the couples and the items of equipment. This is often a simple screw-
size of the impression cylinder, these presses are also thread adjustment, but may be pneumatically operated
called satellite presses. or motorised for heavy reels or remote control
• Common-impression-cylinder (CIC) presses have systems.
one large impression cylinder running in contact with
several blanket cylinders.
THE REEL BRAKE
• The paper wraps around the surface of the impression
cylinder. • A means of controlling the rotation of the reel
• Large size and longer makereadies are disadvantages in relation to the pull of the machine and the
inherent in the design of the CIC. requirements of web tension. This will vary in
• Their speed, however, is higher than that of the complication according to the importance of web
blanket-to-blanket type. tension control and the relationship of the brake to
• A CIC press can be made to perfect in two ways. other web control equipment.
• The most common means is to run the web through
one unit, dry the ink, flip the web over, and run it DIFFERENT TYPES OF REELSTAND
through a second unit to print the other side.
• The second method prints half-webs of paper; that is, • Single reelstand.
the width of the web is only half the width of the plate • Double reelstands.
cylinder. • Revolving reelstands.
• The web is threaded so that it runs along one side of
the printing unit, and the top of the web is printed. » SINGLE REELSTAND
• The web then travels through a dryer and chill rollers,
• This is based on the shaft, sidelay and brake system.
through a turning bay where it is flipped over, and
• This type reelstand can hold only one reel at a time.
returned to the printing unit, where it runs on the other
• It is suitable for short-to-medium run work where an
side of the cylinder.
entire job or complete section can be completed in a
• On its second pass through the printing unit, the other
few reels.
side of the web is printed.
• Reel changes are accomplished by stopping the
• During operation, paper runs continuously on both
machine before the reel is completely expired,
sides of the press. This is called double-ending.
breaking out the tail of the web, unloading the reel
stub and removing the shaft.
• The shaft is re-inserted into a fresh reel, which is then
loaded into the machine and the front edge of the new
web spliced to the tail of the previous one.

» DOUBLE REELSTANDS considerably extend the length of the installation as
well as interfering with unit accessibility.
• This type of reelstands hold two reels. One reel for
running and another reel for buffer.
• These may be used where longer runs are undertaken » BASEMENT REELSTANDS
and quicker changeovers required in order to cut down • For large multi-web machines, such as newspaper
the proportion of time taken in reelchanging. presses, the reelstands are often situated below the
• The second reelstand can be loaded and the reel printing units.
prepared while the machine is running, so that when • This arrangement not only saves space at printing unit
the machine is stopped at the completion of the first level, but also gives complete accessibility around the
reel the two web-ends can be quickly joined and printing units and the reelstands.
running re-commended within seconds. • Reel handling, transport, loading and splicing are
conveniently carried out in the basement with a
» REVOLVING REELSTANDS minimum of interference to the rest of the machine.
• These can provide even faster changeovers as a

fresh reel can be loaded and prepared for joining, then SHAFTS
rotated in close to the expiring web so that the join can
• The traditional method of holding a reel in a machine
be made while the machine is running.
is be means of a shaft with a pair of cones sliding
• Revolving reelstands are necessarily more
along it.
complicated than others, as motorised rotation is
• The shaft usually has a boss at one end, which locates
usually necessary and reel braking systems need
the sidelay and sometimes locks in with the brake.
more attention for efficient working.
• The shaft is inserted into the reel with one cone in
• Manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic systems
position, then the opposing cone is located along the
are available according to the importance of rapid
shaft and forced tightly into the reel core.
changeovoer and machine speed.
• Both cones must be firmly locked into the core to
• These reelstands also have advantage where very
ensure that the reel does not turn on the shaft.
large reels are in use, as the reels can be rolled in
• Disadvantages of the shaft and cone system are that
between the arms of the reelstand, and the arms
the insertion and location of cones can take several
located to the core for easy loading.
minutes, and over-tightening of the cones can damage
the cores, which cannot then be re-used.
SITING THE REELSTAND • Cones are also unsuitable for use with plastic or metal
reel centres.
• In-line.
• Right-angle.
• Basement reelstands. » EXPANDING SHAFTS
• These do not need cones as they can distend to lock
» IN-LINE securely into the core without damaging it.
• These systems are generally quicker, simpler and
• The most common position for a reelstand is in-line
more economical than the sliding cone system.
with the printing units, at floor level.
• Mechanical devices are available in which the shaft
• For smaller presses reelstands may be integral within
is segmented into a number of sections which can be
the machine framework, while larger machines are
opened up or closed by a system of sliding wedges.
more likely to have freestanding reelstands, often
• Where a compressed air supply is available it is even
made by a specialist manufacturer.
faster to employ pneumatic shafts, which can be
• This situation has the advantages of a simple web
expanded or released at the touch of a button.
lead, compactness and good accessibility.
• This type of shaft can be based on the expanding
section principle or an alternative method in which a
» RIGHT-ANGLE number of studs are forced out from the shaft to press
• Where space is limited and machine length must be firmly against the reel centre.
kept to a minimum, the reelstand may be positioned
to one side of the machine and turned into the printing » TILT LOCK
unit over an angle bar.
• A unique approach is offered by the tilt-lock system, in
• This system is particularly useful on multi-web
which a number of teeth in the shaft lock into the reel-
machines where a number of in-line reelstands would

core by the natural rotation of the reel. reservoir is generally in the form of a series of loops in
• This method has many of the advantages of the the web) supply the web to the machine at the time of
expanding shaft, without the need for an air supply. pasting.
• When the machine is stopped at the end of the reel • The web and reel must be brought into firm contact so
the teeth can be instantly released without the use of that the glued edge of the fresh reel travels with the
tools or air lines. running web into the machine.
• A splicing system which is used to cut the old web
after pasting.
CHUCKS (SHAFTLESS SYSTEMS) • Accelerator which accelerate the speed of the new
reel.
• Where wide or heavy reels are in use shafts are liable
to distortion. » ZERO SPEED PASTING
• Bent shafts will cause eccentric rotation of the reels
with consequent web tension problems and other • The diameter of the running reel is set for auto
running difficulties. pasting.
• In these instances it may be better to use chucks, • When the running reel reaches the particular diameter
which are inserted directly into the reel centre from the pasting operation starts.
the machine frame or from massively constructed • The running reel is stopped its rotation by means of its
reelstand arms. braking system.
• The principle is simple in operation, and lends itself • During this pasting operation the web is supplied to
to quick changeovers, especially where revolving the machine from the accumulator (the festoon rollers
reelstands are in use. will come down). Same time the web tension is
• Shaftless systems also have the advantage of allowing maintained.
large or heavy reels to be rolled into position between • The new reel which is made ready for pasting waits in
the chucks, without the additional complications the close position to the running web.
of shaft insertion and lifting of the reel and shaft • The running reel is made contact with the new reel by
assembly into position. means of mechanical or pneumatic system.
• After a few second the timer enables the splicing . So
the old web is broken.
AUTOMATIC PASTERS • The Accelerator which accelerate the speed of the
• Zero speed pasters. new reel.
• Flying paster or speed match paster.
» BUTT SPLICING
• The web may be spliced by overlapping one web upon
» AUTOMATIC PASTERS the other and joining them together by tape or glue.
• Some of the components essential for auto pasting • For thicker substrates, such as boxboard or card, it is
system: desirable to avoid overlapping as the double thickness
• Reel-stand to hold at least 2 reels. may damage printing surfaces or catch up in other
• Braking system. parts of the machine.
• Accumulator. • In this case a neater join is made by cutting the
• Tension control. respective ends of the webs squarely, butting them
• Diameter sensing. up to each other and joining them with thin, adhesive
• Web speed sensor. tape.
• Timer. • The web ends can be cut square and tapes applied by
• Accelerator or synchroniser. mechanical means.
• Pasting position identification. • During this operation the accumulator will supply the
• Signature mark. web to the press.
» AUTOMATIC PASTERS ZERO PASTING » AUTOMATIC PASTERS FLYING PASTER
• Some basic steps involved in zero pasting • Some basic steps involved in flying auto pasting.
• The fresh reel with its glued edge must be positioned • The fresh reel with its glued edge must be positioned
close into the running web. close into the running web by rotating the reelstand to
• Accumulator which will have festoon rollers (this the required location.

• The fresh reel must be revolved to match the web FAN OUT
speed in order to avoid snatching when the splice is
• Fan out or Relative Print Width (RPW) refers to
made.
variation in size of the different colours as measured
• The web and reel must be brought into firm contact so
in across the web direction. Fan out is the result of
that the glued edge of the fresh reel travels with the
the web growing in the side to side direction as it goes
running web into the machine.
through the units.
• The web must be broken out from the expired reel,
• An image will change in width if the web changes in
leaving the new reel running in the machine.
width after it is printed.
• Accurate web control must be maintained during the
whole of the splicing cycle.
» CONTROLLING THE FAN OUT
FLYING PASTER • We can minimize its efforts by moving the plate

cylinders to split the difference and make the amount
• The new reel is made ready for pasting with glue or
of misregister equal on both sides of the image.
double side adhesive tape.
• Stepping out the images on the second, third and
• The pasting system calculates the speed of the
fourth plates.
machine ( web travels – meter per second) .
• Commonly used method for controlling fan out is
• According to the speed of the web travel the pasting
bustle wheels or air gun.
operation starts with a convenient diameter of running
web.
• The new reel is sensed for its diameter. » CONTROL OF FAN OUT USING BUSTLE WHEEL
• The new reel and the running web is made closer by • Bustle wheels are used to help reduce differences in
changing the position of the reel arms. relative print width (RPW) on a web undergoing fan
• The new reel is accelerated to the speed of the out.
running web (synchronizing). • The wheel is set to project into the underside of the
• At the same time the pasting arm come close to the web. The resulting tent-like deformation of the web
new web along with the running web. draws the web edges together. The wheel can be
• Waits to reach the diameter of the running reel is set finely adjusted by the handscrew on the bottom. The
for auto pasting. wheel should be mounted so that it always runs true in
• When the running reel reaches the particular diameter the direction of web travel.
the pasting starts.
• The pasting arm makes contacts the running web
to the new web by pushing the running web by » CONTROL OF FAN OUT USING AIR GUN
mechanical or pneumatic means.
• Instead of bustle wheels air guns are used in between
• This operation is made first in the non pasting
the units to control the fan out.
prepared area of the new reel. For this a sensing
• The air gun emits the air with pressure which is
device is incorporated in the system or a magnetic
adjustable on the web. So the web width is slightly
tape is pasted over the new reel at a particular
reduced and the RPW is controlled.
position.
• It is now widely used replacing the bustle wheels
• After a few seconds of pasting operation the splicing is
because of its advantages over the bustle wheels.
activated by means of a timer.
• The signature marks are added in the new reel during
the pasting preparation. So that the pasted copies are WEB TENSION
taken out in the mail room (which are waste copies).
• Paper does not flow but is drawn through a web offset
• Accumulator has a stroke of 5m and there are 4 rollers
press.
on the movable arm and 5 at the bottom. What would
• This creates a force in the web known as web tension.
be the splicing time within which the entire pasting
• When the pressman says he is controlling the tension,
cycle should be completed? Running Speed of the
he means he is controlling conditions under which the
press is 250m/min.
paper is drawn through the press.
• Accumulator has a stroke of 4m and there are 6 rollers
• The nature of paper, however, greatly complicates the
on the movable arm and 7 at the bottom. What would
pressman’s job.
be the splicing time within which the entire pasting
• Applying even relatively small force to paper causes
cycle should be completed? Running Speed of the
it to change dimensionally, and the change is not
press is 200m/min.

constant for a given paper or even, necessarily, within changes in the paper feed rate off the roll by moving in
a given roll. the web loop.
• The erratic behavior of paper under stress often • But every time the dancer moves, it goes through
results in inconsistencies in the finished product- acceleration and deceleration phases that change the
inconsistencies due to variation in unit-to-unit register, effective weight of the roller.
side lay, cutoff, and folding accuracy. • The effect is similar to the “drag” one feels while
• Thus, the fundamental problem in web control is an elevator (traveling up) picks up speed and the
keeping paper behavior uniform through the press. “lightness” felt while it slows down.
• The pressman, or press action such as drying and • Thus, the dancer does not hold tension constant into
chilling, can modify web tension at various points on the first printing unit because it is itself a source of
the press. tension variations.
• The distances between these points are referred to • With the conventional infeed, tension into the press is
here as “tension spans”. created by running the metering rollers slower than the
• Tension is uniform throughout each of these spans. blanket cylinders of the press.
• Tension control devices embody one of two principles: • With a given paper, the amount of tension established
• Constant torque devices directly applying an in this span is directly related to the speed difference
unchanging force to the web, like the weight of the between the printing unit and the metering rollers-
dancer roller, or variable speed devices, which control assuming no slip is occurring at either point, and
the flow rate of the web. assuming that the reaction of the paper to stress has
not changed.
» WEB CONTROL FACTORS • But it is quite common for the web to slip over the
metering rollers.
• Web control involves three major factors: • The amount of draw put on the web in this span is
• Tension, length, and the modulus of elasticity of the determined by the effective speed of the metering
web. rollers.
• All three factors are fundamentally interrelated.
• A change in any one of the three must result in a
change in at least one of the remaining two.
» ADVANTAGES OF CONSTANT TENSION INFEEDS
• The second dancer corrects for a narrower range of
variation than the first dancer, greatly reducing dancer-
» WEB TENSION VARIATION related variation.
• By its placement in the infeed, the second dancer
• Periodic variation (reel out of round, mechanical corrects for variations arising after the infeed metering
damage) system.
• Trend like variation. (winding characteristic, fluff • Because the masses involved are much smaller and
accumulation on blanket) because the variable-speed drive offers inherently
• Random variation. (elasticity of paper, variation in finer control than the roll stand brake, control by the
temperature, variation in surface co-efficient of friction, second dancer is more precise.
variation in tension in infeed) • Because the second dancer can hold tension
variations to a minimum, tension levels in the infeed
INFEED UNITS can be higher without risking a web break.
• Higher tension levels in the infeed can lessen blanket
• There are two distinct tension spans before the first wrap and elastic recovery in the printing units, which
printing unit. means better control over register.
• The first is from the roll to infeed tension control, and
the second is from infeed tension control to the first
printing unit. » TYPES OF INFEEDS
• In theory, the dancer eliminates all tension variations • Single drum infeed.
emanating from the unwinding roll, delivering a web • Rubber covered open drum infeed.
under uniform tension to the infeed metering rollers. • Open S-wrap infeed unit.
• Actually, the conventional dancer reduces, but does • Nipped single roll infeed unit.
not eliminate, tension variations. • Nipped S-wrap infeed unit.
• Constant tension is maintained as long as the effective • Surface driven infeed unit.
weight of the dancer remains unchanged.
• The dancer accommodates itself to the ever-present

» INFEED DRIVES • The main advantages of pivoting dancer rollers are as
follows:
• PIV- drive system.
• Stroke magnification is easy to obtain through
• CLUTCH system.
leverage. A small stroke air cylinder can be used
• MAGNETIC POWDER CLUTCH system.
to create large roller movements, and larger roller
• Variable speed motor.
movements are more desirable than smaller ones.
• It is quite simple to apply pneumatic counter loading
to pivoting arm dancers, and air loading is the most
DANCER ROLLERS versatile and accurate type of counter loading.
• A properly designed dancer roller is a perfect tension
isolator, and will prevent shock waves from passing » HORIZONTAL DANCER ROLLER
through the unit to the machine’s processing section.
• The horizontal dancer roller travels in a forward and
• Even a poorly designed dancer roller will absorb a
backward motion parallel to the floor.
much larger portion of the unwinding tension shock
• There is no need to counterbalance a horizontal
wave.
dancer, because the gravitational force is always at
right angles to the movement of the dancer roller.
» TYPES OF DANCER ROLLERS • If you want a long stroke dance roller, using horizontal
type with a traveling air cylinder is suitable.
• Vertical dancer roller.
• Horizontal pivoting dancer roller.
• Vertical pivoting dancer. » INERTIA-COMPENSATED DANCER ROLLER
• Horizontal dancer roller.
• An “inertia-compensated” dancer has been developed
that eliminates the change in effective weight when the
» VERTICAL DANCER ROLLER rate of dancer movement changes.
• The inertia-compensated dancer is an ordinary roller
• The vertical dancer roller is a floating type of idling
with a flywheel mounted at each end.
dead shaft roller which travels in a linear up and down
• The flywheel changes the inertial properties of the
path.
roller so that when the roller’s rate of movement
• It can be supported by two flexible chains.
changes, there is no change in effective weight.
• It moves up and down on slide bushings.
• It is necessary to counterbalance the roller so that its
weight will not affect its movement in either direction.
LOADCELL
• A loadcell is a device which is displaced (moves) from
» HORIZONTAL PIVOTING DANCER ROLLER its unloaded position to another position in proportion
to the force applied to it.
• The loadcell roller is usually an idling dead shaft roller.
• The pivoting dancer design is the most popular type of
• A dead shaft roller is one which rotates on internal
dancer configuration.
bearings around two stationary stub shafts.
• A pivoting dancer roller swings through an arc
• A live shaft roller, also called a rotating or integral
about its fulcrum shaft, and it can have a horizontal
shaft roller, has its shaft permanently attached to the
movement.
roller, and both the shaft and roller rotate around two
• It is extremely important for horizontal pivoting dancers
external bearings.
to be mechanically counterbalanced so that they are
• The loadcell supports the external bearing retainers in
in a state of gravitational equilibrium when they are
unloaded. this design.
• Rollers used on machines having a maximum speed
» VERTICAL PIVOTING DANCER

of 150 m/min (500 fpm) can be statically balanced, but
the loadcell rollers should be dynamically balanced.
• The vertical pivoting or pendulum dancer roller arm • All rollers on machines operating at faster speeds
extends down perpendicularly and swings in a side-to- must be dynamically balanced.
side arc.
• This type of dancer does not need counterweights
because gravity has an equal effect in both directions
» LOADCELL PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
of movement. • All force transducers use the deflection principle to

measure the difference between the preset load and • This condition allows tension variations to have some
the applied tension load. upstream effect.
• Some loadcells compress a very small amount, while • Actual measurement on blanket-to-blanket web offset
others move further by means of a beam deflection presses shows that relatively small tension variations
(magnification) mechanism. in the infeed carry all the way through to the folder.
• In effect, loadcells measure the amount of roller • On the other hand, on a four-unit press, fairly large
movement under varying tension conditions, rather tension changes in the span between the fourth unit
than the actual pull of the web. and the chill rolls are rarely detectable between the
• Loadcells move in proportion to the resultant tension second and third unit and never between the first and
effect on the roller, and the total load is an algebraic second unit.
sum of both loadcell movements.
• Any idling roller can be made into a tension roller
by the addition of a pair of pneumatic or electronic
» SETTING TENSIONS ON THE PRESS
loadcells. • The foregoing provides the necessary information for

• Never use a driven roller as the tension roller, as arriving at the optimum tension-setting method on a
power variations will affect the tension measurements. web press.
• The angle of web wrap around a loadcell roller must • The needs of the infeed and press sections should be
be constant, as the controller is programmed for a met first.
specific resultant force. • Then the dryer-chill section should be balanced, and
finally the delivery section.
» RESULTANT FORCE FACTORS

» THE EFFECTS ON WEB TENSION (VARIOUS INK/
WATER CONDITIONS)
Wrap angle Resultant • Number of tests were conducted, they confirm the
observation that press water reduces tension.
0 .00
• Highest tension was recorded with no water and no
. ink being run (1) and was followed by the sharpest
drop with water run and no ink.
0 . • A condition in which maximum water would reach the
0 .00 paper.
• Tension increased at points 3 and 4, probably due to
0. water pickup by the ink, which reduced the amount of
water reaching the paper.
» Types of Loadcell • Running excess water when printing (5,6) also tended
to significantly decrease tension.
• Pneumatic loadcells.
• Electronic loadcells. High tension
• Hydraulic loadcells.

TENSION CONTROL SYSTEMS Normal water,

Normal water,
ink

Normal water
with the help of brake No ink
ink
No water no ink
• Potentio meter Excess water,
Normal ink
• Mechanical
Excess water,
• Hydraulic Low tension
ink
• Loadcell
• Sensor ¨ transducer ¨ signal conditioning ¨ modifying
signal ¨ actuator (display, brake, motor)
» ADVANTAGES OF TENSION CONTROL
• To reduce the flooding of web into the press on a quick
» TENSION FROM SPAN TO SPAN
stop.
• To control tension accurately during pasting, at change
• Most nips on web presses, including the printing nips over of brakes.
and the chill rolls, do have slip.

• While positioning the reels. consist of fingers that ride against the running web.
• While running roll is not round. • They sense any decrease in tension.
• During normal operations to control register. • They give the mechanical web break detector an
• While feeding two or more webs into same folder. advantage over the more modern methods in that it is
• To avoid web breaks. not necessary for the tail end of the break to run under
• Lessen the elastic recovery in the printing units. the web break detector before it senses the break.
• For this reason they are very effective when mounted
» PIV in long spans of web such as those that are generated
when more than one web is run through the press.
• A variable-speed drive that varies speed through two • In this case, the mechanical web break detector can
pulleys and a metal link belt. initiate a stop several impressions before it would be
• The rims of each pulley can be moved closer together initiated by an optical detector.
or farther apart through a single control knob.
• The spread between rims determines how far up (or
down) the belt will ride in the pulley trough.
» Electronic web break detector
• As can be seen in the two side views, this changes the • Emitter receiver type. (photo electric eye). In this type
effective pitch diameters of the two pulleys. a light emitter is mounted on one side of the web and
• In A, each revolution of the drive shaft gives several a receiver is mounted on the other side. When the
revolutions of the metering shaft. receiver receives the light the detector is activated.
• In B, one revolution of the drive shaft gives only a The disadvantage of this type of detector is when the
partial revolution of the metering shaft. receiver is covered by the ink or by dust particles, the
detector will not activate.
• Reflector type. (infrared). Infrared web break
» WEB BREAK DETECTORS detectors are very easy to mount on the press since
they are quite insensitive to ink printed on the web
• A number of systems currently in use to detect web and can be mounted several inches from the web.
breaks. Because they use solid-state devices as the source
• The oldest of these is a mechanical roller or finger with of the infrared beam, they have a very long life. This
a switch attached. type of detectors are widely used nowadays.
• Some devices couple a light source with a
photoelectric eye.
• Another type of web break detector uses a pneumatic
» Pneumatic web break detector
principle. • A jet of air is blown at the web. On the other side of
• More than one type of detector is used in presses for the web is a pressure-sensitive switch that is activated
safety. when the air jet strikes it.
• These detectors are used at different places of the • The energy requirement to produce continuous air
press. Infeed, unit, chiller, web path, folder. blow is a disadvantage of this type.
• The choice of detectors depends upon the type of
substrate, and the place of incorporation.
• They are mounted in pairs. » ADVANTAGES OF WEB BREAK DETECTORS
• Many detector systems also incorporate web severing
devices, which immediately cut off the web on signal • It avoids excess roll up at blankets, folders, infeed, ink
of a web break. or dampening rollers. So the damage to this materials
• These prevent excessive paper wrapping up a printing is eliminated or minimized.
unit – a particularly useful feature on large, fast • It avoids the damage to machine parts.
presses. • It saves time because of quicker restart of the press.
• So web break detectors can be classified into three
types.
• Mechanical AUTOMATIC WEBBING UP DEVICE
• Electronic
• When a job is in production, it is the normal practice
• Pneumatic
to join the tail of the expiring web to the front flap of
the new reel in order to take the fresh web through the
» Mechanical web break detector machine.
• Web break detectors of the mechanical type usually • This is the easiest way of webbing-up the machine,
Web Offset Technology Class Notes 10

but there are many occasions when it is necessary to • This method is particularly successful on machines
re-thread the web through the machine from reel stand which do not have impression throw-off, where a
to delivery. tail consequently cannot be passed through the
• This requires some care, forethought and a degree impression nip but a ‘stick’ can easily be inserted into
of skill according to the nature of the work and the a blanket gap and inched through.
complication of the machine.
• In the event of web breaks during the run there will

THREADING THE WEB
be an urgency about the work; on large, multi-web • When leading the tail into the machine it must first be
machines there must be coordinated teamwork; remembered that it is important to keep the web in its
while many machines make provision for a variety true line.
of web paths according to the job in hand, therefore • If the web should wander from its true path even a
the correct lead must be carefully selected to avoid fraction of an inch it is liable to tear when tension is
unnecessary complication and web lead faults. applied.
• Even a lightweight newsprint can take a strain or 500g
per linear cm-if the load is applied evenly over the
PREPARING THE REEL entire width of the web.
• When starting with a fresh reel it is important to ensure • But, if the paper is moved slightly out of line, then the
that the side lay adjustment is centralized and the reel strain will be concentrated at one extreme edge only
positioned laterally as accurately as possible to avoid and a rupture is almost certain when stress is applied,
excessive side lay movement when the reel is running. particularly if a small nick or tear should be present in
• The next step is to examine the circumference of the that edge of the web.
reel for nicks, tears or other damage, particularly at
the edges, as these are the most common source of • Care should therefore be taken not to put too much
web breaks. stress on the tail in order to avoid breakage.
• Any damaged areas should be removed either by • On the other hand the web must not be allowed to
carefully removing the outer layers of paper or by become too slack as the loose paper will wander out
neatly trimming the edge with a sharp knife. of true and possibly catch up in the machine, or snatch
and break when tension is eventually applied.
• The third operation is to prepare the leading edge for • For small machines and short leads the web may
feeding into the machine. The most common method be put through entirely by hand while the machine
is to tear the leading edge into a neat, graduated is stationary, but on bigger machines it may be
taper, starting from the working side of the machine necessary to turn the machine over slowly and take
and running gradually to the offside. the paper through while the machine is moving.
• The reasons for this ‘tail’ are: (1) there is less paper to • This operation should only be undertaken be
handle when feeding the web, (2) lining up the edge of experienced personnel as there is a degree of danger
the paper is easier, (3) handing over from one station involved.
to the next is simpler, (4) threading the point through
complicated turns and places of difficult access will be • Particular care must be taken when feeding paper into
quicker and easier. inward turning nips such as printing cylinders.
• Where this is essential it is advisable to stop the
• The need for a tail and the length of its taper will vary machine first and tuck the paper into a blanket gap,
from one instance to another. On large news and if one is available, or to tape the tail to a cylinder so
magazine installations a 3-4 metre tail is commonly that the paper can be inched through the nip without
used, with a 15¢ª-20¢ª taper, for ease of handling danger to the operator’s fingers.
over the long distances involved, whereas smaller • Where web paths are fairly standardized it is often
machines may be quite easily laced up with a simpler practicable to have a permanent tape lead built into
tail of 45¢ª or 60¢ª taper. the machine, following the normal web path, so that
• Where leads are uncomplicated, such as on straight- the tail of the web can be attached to the tape and
line, narrow-width machines, an alternative system is drawn through the machine as it is inched over.
to fold the lip of the paper over a number of times in
2-3 centimetre strips parallel to the core of the reel,
so that a ‘stick’ is formed at the leading edge, which
AUTOMATIC WEBBING UP
can then be quickly and simply handed through the • This sort of device is particularly useful on multi-level
machine. machines where floor-to-floor jumps are required and

difficult runs involved. one unit to another. For the most efficient use of a
• More elaborate systems may be employed on the register roller it may be necessary to incorporate it in a
larger news and magazine installations in the form of ‘U’ or ‘S’ system of rollers.
endless chain drives with grippers attached.
• These are often provided with independent motor
drives so that the paper may be fed through without
» 5) MARKING-UP:
using the full power of the machine. • The chosen web route can influence the possibility
• It should be noted that tape or chain leads usually of marking-up after the web has been printed and
stop somewhere short of the folder where the lead before drying or folding. The printed side of a web
becomes too intricate for a tape to follow. should be kept away from subsequent rollers as long
as practicable so that marking-up will be minimized
and of course the web should avoid contact as far as
possible with non-rolling parts of the machine.
CHOOSING A LEAD
WEB ALIGNER CONCEPTS
• There are few basic rules to be observed when
deciding the path to follow when putting a web through
a machine. » SIDELAY
• Sidelay is the side-to-side placement of the web
» 1) SHORTEST PATH: through the printing units and folder. Understandably,
• There is no advantage in taking a longer lead sidelay affects the margins on the signature pages
than absolutely necessary, provided that all other through the side margins set up on the printed web
requirements are satisfactorily met. and the lay of the former fold line.
• Unnecessarily extended leads take longer to put in, • For this reason, web sidelay should be controlled at
increase traction problems, and are more liable to web two points along the press: before the printing units
breaks, marking up and register fluctuations. and before the folder.
• There are a number of reasons why a straight-line
lead is not always taken, and each roller or cylinder • The web-steering device located in the infeed controls
should be chosen specifically for a definite purpose. the placement of the image from side to side on the
web, and the steering device between the press and
the folder registers the print to the former and chopper
» 2) WEB CONTROL:
folds.
• The most efficient control is obtained when the web is • One common web-steering device is the box tilt, which
wrapped around a roller or cylinder to obtain maximum has four rollers arranged in a box shape.
traction. Conversely, traction is least efficient when • The first and fourth rollers in contact with the web are
the web merely passes over a roller at a tangent. For in fixed position, while rollers two and three can be
this reason, where good web control is essential it is moved in parallel and cocked relative to the other two.
advisable to provide a good wrapround of the member • When the web crosses the cocked rollers, it moves to
concerned. one side of roller four, relative to its position when it
crossed the first roller.
» 3) UNSUPPORTED STRETCHES:•
• In this way, side-to-side position can be precisely
• Long sections of web without support are liable to controlled before the web enters the printing units and
sag, flap, flutter or vibrate. Therefore it is advisable to the folder.
include supporting rollers in the web path, preferably • Other sidelay devices have three (sometimes only
with an ‘S’ wrapround to ensure adequate web control two) rollers.
where there is some distance between one station and • Whichever kind is used, it is important that it is
the next. designed to produce minimum stress in the web during
correction.
» 4) REGISTER ROLLERS: • One warning sign is the formation of wrinkles in the
web due to the action of the sidelay unit.
• On machines with movable rollers for adjusting the
length of web between one operation and the next, it
is essential to pass around at least one register roller » SIDELAY SENSORS
after each station in order to allow for adjustment of • Web sidelay sensors have also been developed to a
high degree of sophistication in recent years. UNIT - II
• One automatic sidelay device is a U-shaped apparatus
with the web moving through the space between the
two arms. PRINTING UNIT,
• One arm houses a light source and the other a
photoelectric sensor cell, or “eye”.
• As the web rides through the mouth of the U, the light INKING & DAMPNING SYSTEM
to the cell is partly blocked.
• The strength of the signal from the photocell unit
varies directly with the amount of light reaching the » THE PLATE CYLINDER
cell, which is in turn determined by the position of the • The basic features found on all plate cylinders are the
web edge across the face of the cell. same.
• Almost all have bearers: smooth, flat metal rings at the
• The strength of the signal determines the amount of extreme ends of the cylinder. Just inside each bearer
correction made be the web steering device (box tilt, (between bearer and cylinder body), is a narrow
cocking roller, etc.). groove, called the gutter.
• Systems of this type should have proportional control. • Between the two gutters is the main portion – the body
• The larger the detected error, the higher is the rate of – of the cylinder, on which the plate and packing are
correction. mounted.
• This makes it possible to make very small changes • The body of the cylinder is always lower than the
when needed. surface of the bearers; the exact difference in height
• The use of air to clean the unit reduces maintenance – called the cylinder undercut – varies with the
and helps eliminate problems. specifications agreed on by the manufacturer and
the printing plant. Often, the amount of undercut is
• Normally webs are center-guided. specified by the plant ordering the press.
• Center-guiding holds the web center fixed with • Knowing the exact amount of undercut on the plate
reference to the press and folder. cylinder is essential to setting up proper pressures in
• It is accomplished by mounting sidelay sensors in the printing unit.
pairs in each station on the press where guiding is • The surface of the plate cylinder body does not extend
necessary. all the way around the cylinder circumference.
• Center-guiding is best for work involving any folder. • On nearly all presses, a deep gap runs from gutter to
• Edge-guiding, on the other hand, which holds only one gutter across the cylinder.
edge of the web fixed relative to the press and folder • This gap contains the clamping devices that hold the
is used for jobs involving sheeting. plate tightly onto the cylinder. These are the basic
• The guiding should be on the edge of the web that will mechanisms of the plate lockup.
be used to register later operations. • The leading edge of the plate cylinder is the edge
along the gap that is followed by the cylinder body as
• Occasionally, it is still possible to hear people debating the cylinder rotates in the running direction.
whether or not a web guide should be located in the • The trailing edge is followed by the cylinder gap.
infeed section of the press or between the press and • The leading edge of the gap is machined at an acute
the folder. angle to the surface of the cylinder body, and the
• The argument for placing the web guide in the infeed leading edge of the plate is bent to this angle before
section of the press says that this is necessary in mounting on the press.
order to center the printing on the web. • The plate is inserted in the slot. This plus lockup at
• The argument for placing the web guide between the the trailing edge provides the gripping force necessary
press and folder says that this is necessary in order to to hold the plate tightly and smoothly against the
keep the fold in the center of the web. cylinder.
• Actually, both positions are required to center the fold • The gap is, of course, a nonimage area. In fact, the
on the printing. white space left on the web by the cylinder gap is
• If web guiding is to be employed, web guides should ultimately where the web is cut off.
be used in both the infeed and between the press and • The cutoff length of a given press is fixed in that it
the folder. may be any one of a number of specific, more or less
standard, sizes.
• When a printer places an order for a web offset press,
there must be a clear idea of what kind of work will be
run, as the fixed cutoff on these presses will always • A four – ply blanket is used on larger presses because
make some job or other impractical. it has an extra layer of fabric backing for greater
• The gap on the plate cylinder usually about 1/8 in. (3 strength. Three – ply blankets are generally used on
mm) narrower than that on the blanket cylinder. blanket cylinders with undercuts of 0.075 in. (1.9 mm)
• The leading edge of the plate should rotate ahead of or less.
the leading edge of the blanket by about 1/16 in. (1.5 • Four – ply blankets are used on presses with
mm), and the plate trailing edge should follow that of undercuts of more than 0.075 in.
the blanket by the same amount. • Three – ply blankets generally are not run on cylinders
• The reason for the wider blanket gap is that the with undercuts designed to accommodate a four – ply
blanket and its mounting bars are much thicker than blanket. A three – ply blanket mounted on such a
the plate and require a wider lockup. cylinder would require an extra 0.010 in. (0.25 mm)
• The procedure for mounting a plate is simple but or so of packing. On the deeper undercut cylinders,
requires care. most pressmen prefer using a four – ply blanket and
• First, the plate is bent on a bending fixture; the fixture less packing to avoid the problem of packing creep.
bends the leading and trailing edges of the plate so • Blankets are packed in the same way as plates. The
the bends will conform exactly to the leading edge and same packing materials are used. However, most
trailing edge lockup on the plate cylinder. pressmen attach the packing to the cylinder body
• This operation is as simple as it sounds, but it requires and then mount the blanket instead of attaching the
great precision and care. packing to the back of the blanket.
• Inaccurate bending will deform a plate so that it either • The blanket is clamped at both the leading and trailing
will not register with the other plates or will not fit edges, which are fitted with long metal strips called
tightly around the cylinder. Improper fit is the cause of blanket bars.
plate cracking. • The lockup grips these bars and not the blanket itself.
• In most web offset plants, blankets are ordered with
the bars already attached. The job of mounting the
THE BLANKET CYLINDER bars on the blanket is very tedious and slow, and
• The basic design of the blanket cylinder is the same most crews keep an extra set of blankets, with bars
as that of the plate cylinder. attached, ready at all times in case of a press problem.
• Almost all plate and blanket cylinders have bearers, • Mounting a blanket is different from mounting a plate.
smooth rings of hard metal at each end of the cylinder. • Because of the elasticity of blankets, mounting tension
When running, the cylinders are set so that bearers is critical. When tightening the lockup at the trailing
are in firm continuous contact. edge, the pressman should take care not to pull the
• Just to the inside of the bearers are the cylinder blanket thin at one spot or another.
gutters. • One factor is the strength of the pressman. Another is
• They help prevent chemicals from working in under the blanket itself; blanket A may stretch and decrease
the blanket, and keep foreign matter picked up by the in thickness only 0.001 in. (0.025 mm), whereas
bearers from moving onto the blanket surface. blanket B will decrease 0.002 in. (0.05 mm).
• Between the gutters is the main part, the body, of the • These factors make it more difficult to pack a blanket
cylinder. The blanket and its packing are mounted to properly than to pack a plate. Doing it right is
wrap around the cylinder body. something that comes only with experience, although
• Usually, the blanket cylinder body also has a gap mechanical aids are available.
containing the lockup that holds the blanket at both • A torque wrench or air – operated wrench can be used
leading and trailing edges. to apply a known amount of tension to the mounted
• The gap on the blanket cylinder is wider than that blanket. A torque wrench has an indicator giving an
on the plate cylinder, usually by 1/8 in. (3 mm) or exact reading of how much torque the pressman is
so, in order to accommodate the thicker blanket and putting on the blanket reel as he tighten it.
mounting bars.
• As on the plate cylinder, the blanket cylinder body is
lower than the surface of the bearers, and again, the
difference in height is called the undercut.
• The amount of undercut varies for different presses,
and on a blanket cylinder is greater than on a plate
cylinder, since blankets are thicker than plates.
• Blankets are usually three – or four – ply for
commercial work.

Adjustable torque wrench
Paul meter

XTRA NOTES bearers, so the effective undercut is not defined in the
The Plate Cylinder same way. For an example of bearer and undercut see
the Heidelberg KORDs.
• Usually the uppermost cylinder in the printing unit
carries the printing plate. Since the plate is frequently
• The undercut provides space for packing between
changed, the plate cylinder must be easily accessible.
the plate and cylinder. This provides proper printing
height and adjusts cylinder circumference to control
• The plate cylinder has 4 primary functions
print length. A plate clamp is a device designed to
grip the edge of the plate and pull it tight against
1. Hold the plate tightly in position. the cylinder body. There are a variety of designs but
2. Hold the plate while the dampening rollers are all have provisions to move the plate laterally and
contacting it and wetting the nonimage area. circumferentially.
3. Hold the plate while the inking rollers are contacting
it and applying ink to the image area.
4. Help transfer inked image to the blanket.
Blanket Cylinder
• The plate cylinder consists of a metal body ground to
close tolerances in diameter. On sheetfed presses it is • The blanket cylinder on a offset press carries the
usually not a complete cylinder, but has a depressed blanket and has two primary functions.
gap (about 20% of circumference) to accommodate 1. To carry the blanket in contact with the inked image
plate damping bars. The gap also permits the inking on the printing plate.
system to recover before the next sheet is printed 2. To transfer (offset) the ink image to the substrate
and compensates for individual sheet feeding. Note, carried by the impression cylinder. It is similar to the
Heidelberg has patented a “gapless” plate cylinder and plate cylinder in that it has a gap, gutters, bearers
has been able to enforce unlicensed use in the U.S. (sometimes), gear and bearings. It does not have
clamps, but has reels for holding the blanket tight.
• On each end of the plate cylinder is a bearer which is

• The position of the blanket cylinder must be adjustable
a hardened metal ring attached to the cylinder body
for two reasons :
or journal. On many presses the plate cylinder bearer
1. To bring it in and out of contact with plate and
is in contact with the blanket cylinder bearer during
impression cylinders.
printing. The diameter of the bearer is the effective
2. To compensate for variations in substrate and
diameter of the cylinder and is the same as the pitch
packing thickness. The blanket cylinder is undercut to
diameter of the gear attached to the journal. The plate
accommodate the blanket and packing.
cylinder is driven by this gear, which is in turn driven
by a similar gear on the blanket cylinder.
The Blanket
• The cylinder gears may be spur or helical. A spur
gear has teeth cut straight across, while helical gears • The blanket is a rubber-surfaced fabric that is clamped
(generally on newer presses) have teeth cut at an around the blanket cylinder.
angle. A spur gear generally has a backlash gear, • The behavior of conventional blankets is controlled
a this second gear bolted to it to reduce “play” (free primarily by that of the rubber itself.
or unimpeded movement). Presses which print with • The properties of rubber are very special in that it can
bearers out of contact always have helical gears. The be described as a nearly incompressible solid. For a
plate cylinder can usually be rotated independently of conventional blanket this causes it to bulge out on the
its gear. sides when squeezed at the nip in order to maintain its
total volume.
• Adjusting the plate cylinder manipulates the printed • This shortens plate life when excessive plate/blanket
image position. However, moving the plate cylinder impression pressure (squeeze) causes a rubbing
to adjust the image position wastes time and paper. action against the plate as the blanket tries to recover
Standard print and plate clamp margins should be its original shape.
established, instead. The undercut of the plate cylinder • The slipping of the blanket over the plate causes
is the difference between the bearer and cylinder radii. slurring of the print.
(Note the duplicators in our laboratory do not have • A compressible blanket employs a cellular or sponge

rubber to improve the performance of the blanket. This
improves the packing tolerance of the blanket, reduces
slippage and improves plate life.
The Impression Cylinder
• The impression unit carries the substrate into the

printing unit. Contact with the blanket transfers the
image. The impression cylinder also has gears and a
gap. • Offset compressible blankets are constructed from
• The impression cylinder may or may not be undercut. two, three or four plies of a strong woven fabric
It is approximately the diameter of the bearers of the fastened together with thin layers of “rubber” adhesive
other two cylinders. to form a laminate termed the carcass. The carcass
• The distance between blanket and impression then receives many coats of a suitably compounded
cylinders must be adjustable to control the transfer polymer, applied to one side to produce the face layer
squeeze. which is approximately 0.020” thick Total thickness,
• Squeeze is a measure of impression pressure. i.e. face and carcass together, is between 0.030” and
However, it is not measured in pressure units, instead 0.075”, depending upon the number of fabric piles
it is measured in units of length. employed. The number of fabric layers equals the
• Plate to blanket squeeze is the combined height of number of plys. Thus a 4 ply blanket would contain
the plate and blanket over their respective bearers. 4 fabric layers. To make the blanket “compressible”
Blanket to impression squeeze is the blanket height a thin layer of air cells (for compression) is layered
over its bearer. between the fabric and rubber face. Conventional
• Squeeze pressure transfers ink from plate to blanket blankets are made up of a rubber face and the fabric
and from blanket to substrate. Squeeze pressure is carcass. A compressible blanket is made up of a
controlled by plate and blanket packing. rubber face, fabric, compressible layer and a carcass.
• A packing gauge is used to measure the height
difference between cylinder and bearer. Therefore it
can be used to measure squeeze.
• Excessive squeeze causes friction that wears plate
images. Insufficient squeeze can cause rough edges,
snowflaking or low ink density.
• The conventional blanket will bulge at the printing nip

Lithography - Blankets (displace not compress), especially when over packed.
The conventional blanket is good when blanket
packing is critical, however, squeeze pressure must
• Offset press blankets are made of supporting fabric be precise. The conventional blanket is recommended
and a rubber composite. Various rubber materials where high print pressures are required. The
are used for the transfer of the image from the plate compressible blanket, on the other hand, will form only
to the blanket. Blankets come in compressible to a very slight bulge when overpacked.
hard finishes along with smooth to rough surfaces.
The majority of printers today use compressible type
blankets. These blankets give good compression
which eliminate many smashed blankets. Slightly
rough blankets are also preferred as they have less
contact with the paper surface thus reducing blanket
contamination.

• The diagram above shows the difference in • Blankets will generally last 3 to 6 months depending
compression between the compressible and the on the type of press (web/sheetfed) and types of
conventional blanket jobs run. Conventional blankets are hard and give
a high amount of resistance when the blanket and
plate cylinder are squeezed together, as shown in the
» • Unlike the conventional blanket the compressible drawing on the next page. Compressible blankets, as
their name implies, are compressible and give under
blanket has many more features such as:
the squeeze.
• Smash resistance which translates into longer blanket

life
» Properties required in an offset blanket:
• Compensates for variation in Blanket thickness and
substrate • The fabric piles must be strong and stretch very little.
• Wider latitude for packing There should be, however, some degree of stretch to
• Reduction in plate wear allow the blanket to fit tightly on to the cylinder, since a
• Reduction of slurring slack blanket can cause doubling and slurring. On the
• Minimizes mechanical press problems other hand, excessive tensioning through high stretch
will cause uneven thickness and result in low areas
in the print. The thickness must be uniform between
» • Blankets are manufactured in three types of

closely defined limits.
surfaces: • With an compressible blanket, slight bulges do form,

but to a much lesser degree than the conventional
• Cast - Surface finish produced by curing paper and blanket. Compressible blankets are used to print
talc uncoated and lighter coated papers. When a blankets
• Ground (buffed) - Mechanical process of finishing the wrap occurs, due to a web break or paper sticking to
surface of a blanket the blanket, the compressible blanket has the best
• Texturized - Surface finish produced by chemical chance for surface recovery. The conventional blanket,
means due to its very hard surface, will not retract like the
• Below are magnifications (100X) of various blanket compressible surface.
surfaces (Cast, Buffed and Textured)
• The conventional blanket bulges at impact point.
Rubber displaces rather than compresses and will
bulge when subjected to pressure. Because of this
displacement, the surface speed of the conventional
balnket is slightly different than the surface speed of
the plate. One possible result is slurring. Conventional
blankents can be used when highly coated papers.
» The face of the blanket should be
• free from pinholes, and blemishes which could affect

print quality non-abrasive to reduce plate wear
• resilient
• of uniform surface hardness and hard enough to be
capable of reproducing a facimile of the printing image
• very smooth, having a matt surface with no low spots
or raised areas
• resistant to ink vehicle, cleaning solvent and varnish
• ink-receptive
• resistant to peeling, blistering, embossing, debossing,
glazing or tackiness, also abrasion from paper or
board
• capable of giving good release (ink and paper)

» Packing » How to pack a blanket...
• Packing is very important to the life of a press, blanket,
plate, etc. When a new blanket is put on a press, it will
first stretch. Usually the pressmen will, after installing,
run the press under impression for several hundred
or thousand impressions then retorque the blanket.
Blankets should always be torqued to assure proper
tension. To attain the proper squeeze between the
plate and blanket (to assure proper transfer of the
image) special paper, known as packing material, is
placed under the blanket and plate. A special “packing
micometer” is used to determine the amount of
packing material needed. See page 3-35 for a diagram
of blanket packing. It is important that you always
recheck packing, after installing a new blanket, several
thousand impressions after. • Plate cylinder is .020” undercut. The offset plate is
.012”thick. To bring the plate to a pressure squeeze of
1. Common blanket problems include: .004” (over bearers) we need to add 0.012” packing
2. Incorrectly installed (over/under packed) material.
3. Overtightened - hand vs. torquing
4. Poor blanket maintenance - using harsh cleaning • The blanket cylinder is .090” undercut and the blanket
materials that contain acetone, toluene, etc. is 0.065” thick, then 0.025” packing is required to bring
5. Out of square blanket the blanket to the surface.
6. Wrong blanket for application
7. Poor release blanket • This then will allow the squeeze to be 0.004” between
the plate and the blanket.
• As there are many types and styles of blankets, the
printer must evaluate the type of blanket he wishes
to use and work with a blanket supplier such as Day
Offset Plate Technology
International. Most printers are printing a wide range
of papers and can not change a blanket for every
paper printed. A printer must work with a supplier and
choose the right blanket that gives him the best overall • We have come a long way from the stone plate.
performance for a wide range of papers printed. As you can well imagine, it would be very difficult
to mount a piece of stone on modern high-speed
presses. Senefelder’s first press was flat, so the
use of stone was easy. Today’s presses use curved
cylinders to hold the offset plates. The basis of
modern lithography is a combination of photography
and Senefelder’s original observation that “oil and
water do not mix”. All offset plates made today
employ this offset principle, they use as an image
carrier such as thin paper, plastic, or a metal sheet
which once exposed and processed can be wrapped
around a cylinder of a press for printing. This modern
offset plate contains two areas; image areas, which
repel water (remain dry and accept ink) and non-
image areas, which accept water. This is the basic
requirement of all modern lithography - the ability to
produce a plate which will have image areas that are
“hydrophobic” (meaning water hating) and non-image
areas that are “hydrophilic” (meaning water loving).
Using a packing gauge While the basic principle is common, there are many
differences between offset plates and the method they
use to separate the image from the non-image areas.
through the clear areas of the negative and cause a
cross linking (hardening) of the polymer resulting in
the image areas of the plate after processing.
• Exposing an Offset plate to produce a usable plate for

the offset press
• There are seven major types of lithographic plates

used in the printing industry today:
1. Diazo
2. Photopolymer
3. Silver Halide
• Today, the majority of lithographic plates are made 4. Electrophotographic
of aluminum sheets of varying thickness (usually 5. Bimetal
between .008” and .0015”) with a surface grain or 6. Waterless
granular finish. This grain serves to give water- 7. Spark Discharge (digital waterless)
carrying properties to the plate and to give anchorage 8. Laser (digital waterless)
to the image forming material. Practically all plates are 9. Computer-to-plate - Various types of Plate Material
presensitized, that is they are supplied ready coated
with a light sensitive diazo compound or photopolymer • Film positives and negatives along with digital
resin material ready for light exposure. information (computer) are used for making or
exposing most types of offset plates today. While there
• This photopolymer coating, as the term implies, is a are several types of offset plates, they are all generally
chemical resin or polymer that will react with ultraviolet classified as either positive or negative working plates.
light - much like photographic film. When UV light
strikes the photopolymer on the plate, it is “hardened”.
Photopolymer that is not exposed to the light is not
“hardened” and can be easily removed. This is the
» Negative-working
principle of the modern offset plate. Negative-working plates are comparatively
inexpensive and commonly used in the United States.
As the name implies, film negatives are used to
image the negative working plate. These plates are
generally coated with a photopolymer and are known
as negative working presensitised plates. Exposure
and processing of this type of plate is usually within
ten minutes. To expose the plate, a film negative is
placed over the light sensitive coating and exposed to
UV light. Light that passes through the clear areas of
• The light is reflected away from the dark portions the negative causes a reaction with the “monomers”
of the negative and will not cause a cross linking or of the photopolymer which chemically cross-link with
hardening of the polymer. Light, however, will pass each other to form polymers. These polymers can be
thought of as complex chains of monomers, which are
linked so strongly, that they behave as a single, hard,
wear-resistant molecule. The actinic light cannot pass
through the black areas of the negative so no reaction
takes place with the polymer under the non-clear
areas of the negative. Processing removes unexposed
non-hardened polymer. An application of a gum
solution to the non-image areas of the plate to make
it water-attracting/ink rejecting. The processing does
not wash off the hardened polymer image areas of the
plate.

» Positive working They are designed with a purpose in mind. In most
cases, a major determining factor is press run length.
Positive working plates are more expensive than
A long run length, for example, on a small offset
their negative-working counterparts. These types of
duplicator might be 10,000 impressions (copies) with
plates are used more by European printers. As the
a short run length being in the neighborhood of 2,000
name implies, film positives are used to image this
impressions. When you talk about larger commercial
type of plate. The photopolymer used to produce a
4 to 6 color sheetfed presses, short run lengths would
positive working plate is different from the polymer
be around 20,000 with long run lenghts being up to
used in the negative working plate as it is hardened
100,000. High speed webs differ even more. Long run
before exposure. The photopolymer used here
lengths generally will be in the 1,000,000 impression
becomes unstable when exposed to ultraviolet light
range. So it is difficult to give a generalization of run
and remains hard where no light strikes the polymer.
length for a particular plate.
Plate processing is similar to the negative plate except
that the processor removes the exposed photopolymer
from the plate and applies a thin layer of gum to
protect the non-image areas from ink. » Diazo
Diazo - is a compound used to coat the offset plate.
Plates are generally made from aluminum. Other Diazo coatings are organic compounds that are used
base materials can be used such as paper, polyester to make presensitized plates with a shelf life of about
and multi-metal. Multi-metal plates are used for long a year and for wipe-on type plates that can be in-plant
extensive press runs due to their durability. Paper coated with a shelf-life about one to two weeks. These
type plates are used in small offset presses known plates can be both negative or positive working. Once
as duplicators for very short runs (1,000 - 10,000 exposed, they are treated with an emulsion developer
impressions). Polyester plates may be used in small which consists of a lacquer and gum in an acid
press or in larger sheetfed presses. Like paper plates, solution. As the unexposed diazo is dissolved by the
these are intended for short runs. In general, the solution, the gum deposits on the non-printing areas
polyester and paper plates are much less expensive ensuring water receptivity. The lacquer deposits on
than the aluminum or multi-metal plates. Cost, run the exposed areas making them ink receptive. Once
length, type of press and the type of job dictate the developed, the plate is rinsed with water and coated
type of plate used by a printer. with a protective gum arabic solution. Run lengths are
short with these type of plates. Run lengths of 100,000
to 250,000 impressions with web and sheetfed
» Offset Plate Technology presses can be achieved.
The aluminum-based plate contains the light-sensitive

coating applied or coated over the aluminum. Paper » Photopolymer
and polyester plates are treated very similarly. Photopolymer - coatings used to make photopolymer
The multi-metal plate, however, is similar but the plates are organic compounds which are very inert
structure of the base plate is slightly different from and abrasion resistant, allowing longer press runs
that of the aluminum, paper, etc. Multi-Metal Plates than diazo coatings (up to 1,000,000 sheetfed or
were developed to extend press run life. In general, web impressions). This type of coating is the most
multi-metal plates are presensitized polymer plates widely used material in platemaking. Plates made
consisting of a metal base with one or more metals with photopolymer can be both negative or positive-
plated to it. Today, there are two basic types of “bi” or working. The photopolymer coating is different from
multi-metal plates: other sensitizers as they change in molecular weight
during exposure. This accounts for many of their
• Copper plated onto stainless steel or aluminum unusual properties such as long runs, resistance to
• Chromium plated on copper abrasive wear and increase in wear resistance after
baking (processing technique to extend run length).
They are the most durable and the most expensive. Today, new high-speed photopolymer plates have
These plates can be coated with either diazo or been developed with a dye sensitized photopolymer
photopolymer and can be either negative or positive that can be exposed by laser and used in digital
working. imaging systems (computer based desktop systems).
The photopolymer plates are by far the most widely

used plates in the printing industry today. These types of plates are normally used for short run
duplicators by quick printers.
» Silver Halide
Silver Halide - are high speed plates that use a
» Waterless plates
photosensitive coating similar to photographic film Waterless plates - are similar to the conventional
except that the silver halide emulsions are slower. The offset plate except that a layer of silicone is applied
emulsions are color-blind and very light sensitive in the on the surface of the light sensitive photopolymer. The
blue region of the visible spectrum so they have to be thin layer of silicone is bonded to the photopolymer.
handled in yellow filtered light. This type of coating can Exposure is similar to that of the conventional offset
be exposed optically using negatives or by lasers from plate. Exposure light passes through the clear areas
digital data. The processing solutions contain heavy of the film negative and silicone layer striking the
metal (silver) by-products which must be either carried photopolymer material beneath. The light activates the
away to special treating plants or treated in-plant with photopolymer, causing a break in the bond between
silver recovery chemicals before being allowed to the photopolymer and the silicone layers. Areas where
drain into municipal sewers. Film-based plates are light does not pass through negative, no break in the
used to print single color business forms, reports, silicone bond occurs. Processing removes the un-
etc. from digital information. These plates may also bonded silicone leaving only the photopolymer which
be exposed like photographic film in a large camera is ink receptive. Silicone rubber has a very low surface
then following exposure, developed and placed on energy and is not wet by the ink.
the press for printing. Silver-halide plates are used for
spot and process color reproduction using digital data. Systems have been developed for waterless printing
These types of plates are popular with short run, quick using special ink temperature control systems on
turnaround printers. press to assist in stabilizing the ink and its viscosity.
Waterless plates can be either negative or positive-
working. This type of printing has advantages as it
» Electrophotographic eliminates the gum-water based fountain solution.
Fountain solution, as it emulsifies with the ink, can
Electrophotographic - plates are based on the dull printed colors, increase dot gain and make
principles of the electrostatic copier. There are two controlling the press more diffi cult. Printing with the
types of plates: waterless process allows the printer to print with finer
line screens (300 lines per inch and higher) due to the
• Inorganic photoconductor on a drum absence of the fountain solution resulting in higher
• Organic photoconductor on a substrate resolution pictures. The plates, due to the silicone,
have shorter run lengths (under 100,000) and scratch
The photoconductor is sensitized to light by charging easily requiring press shutdown for plate repair.
with a corona discharge. The charge is dissipated in This type of system is also more expensive than the
the areas exposed to light. The charge remaining on conventional offset plate.
the unexposed areas attracts a dry or liquid toner with
an opposite charge. The base photoconductor material
used is normally selenium or cadium sulfide coated
onto paper, plastic, etc.
» Direct Imaging
Plates for laser imaging are coated on electrograined

anodized aluminum. During processing, the coating
must be removed in the non-printing areas, and Heidelberg GTO-DI (Direct Imaging) - plates are
the plates are treated with etch and gum to make used on the Heidelberg GTO-DI press system. These
them water receptive. In the chemical removal plates are very similar to the above waterless plates
process the image elements (dots) become slightly except they are imaged on press by computer. In a
ragged which can affect their use for fine screen, way, the press is the printer for the computer much
high quality process color printing. Another type of like a dot matrix printer is. The plates are imaged in
electrophotographic plate is the Zinc Oxide paper this case, however, by lasers. The plates are made in
plate used by quick printers. These plates are very a three layer composition. The base material is either
similar except the Zinc Oxide is the photoconductor. polyester or aluminum. The middle layer is an infrared-
absorbent material. This layer matches the laser’s
output wavelength and its role is simply to vaporize The Dicoweb works by printing digitally to a “plate”
when struck by the laser light. Over this layer is a thin cylinder, printing the job and then cleaning the “plate”
layer of silicone. As the laser strikes the plate, the cylinder for re-imaging. The process works by using
infrared vaporizes and loosens the silicone layer which a laser head to directly image the printing cylinder via
is wiped away following imaging. The wiped area is a thermal ribbon. The thermal material transferred
now the image area as no silicone remains. The non- from the ribbon to the plate cylinder (which is actually
image area is the area containing silicone which was a sleeve). The thermal image laser deposited is ink
not removed during the imaging process. receptive. The areas of the cylinder that received
no thermal material are the non-image areas which
The same plate and technology is used in the accept no ink but fountain solution instead. After
Heidleberg Quickmaster DI-46-4 press with the the completion of a print run, the cylinder surface is
exception that instead of a single plate a plate roll is automatically cleaned by a device similar to a blanket
used. See the first section under Printing Processes washer. Once washed, the cylinder is reading for more
for a more detailed description. These plates are very imaging. See the Printing Methods Section for more
short run plates (under 25,000 impressions). Once the details.
plate has been imaged, the waterless process is near
similar to the above waterless plate. These plates are
near similar to the Toray Waterless plates mentioned
in the Waterless Section in the previous page.
» Computer to Plate (CTP)
Heidelberg Quickmaster D146-4 (Direct Imaging) Computer to Plate (CTP) - Computer to plate systems
- Like it’s predecessor the GTO-DI, the Quickmaster today can use a variety of plate material - depending
uses a waterless plate. Unlike the earlier versions of upon the manufacturer, system design, etc. CTP
the OTO-DI (which used the “spark” imaging system) systems can use several systems which include:
the Quickmaster waterless plate is imaged via an laser
array. Data (Postscript level 2) is converted in the RIP • Silver Halide
(Raster Image Processor) into screen data, which is • Thermal
in turn converted into control signals for 64 infrared • Direct Thermal - Requires the use of a special
laser diodes (16 diodes per printing unit) in the printing substrate that changes color when exposed to heat.
press. An Ethernet interface is sufficient to transmit • Thermal Transfer - This approach uses a thermal
digital documents from the prepress directly without array to transfer colorant from a ribbon to a substrate.
film exposure, plate exposure and stripping tot he • Photopolymer
Quickmaster DI. The laser beams created by the laser • Ink Jet
diodes are led to optics via fiber-optic cables, and are • Hybrid
bundled into a precise ray of light. On a special, multi-
layer plate very small sharp-edged depressions are No matter how what technique is used, the end result
created through high levels of energy. Analogous to is the same; an offset lithographic plate with the image
other dry offset processes these depressions accept areas that will accept ink and a non-image area which
ink, which is repelled by a silicon layer on all other will accept no ink. Computer to Plate is a technology
places on the plate. The system can image up to whose time has come. It was only a few short years
1,270 dpi or 2,540 dpi. This is sufficient for printing ago when only 2 or 3 major vendors were available,
a 150 Ipi screen in very good offset quality. Imaging now today there are over 46!
time ranges from 6 minutes (1,270 dpi) to 12 minutes
(2,640 dpi). Since all four printing units are imaged at
the same time, all are in registration. The plate itself is
very similar to the waterless plate used in the GTO-DI
with the exception the plate comes in roll form (see
Printing Methods, Section 2). Like with the OTO-DI
Waterless plate, the Quickmaster plate is on a mylar
or polyester base and is flexible.
MAN Dicoweb or the CTPress (Direct

Imaging) - Meaning “Digital Change Over Web”
is the latest digital technology to hit the printing
scene, however, it is not yet commercially available. XTRA NOTES
UNIT CONFIGURATION • The contact pattern of two teeth brought into mesh
takes the form of a straight line as the gears rotate,
• Unit type – blanket to blanket type
and from this contact line the involute can be derived.
• Inline type
• “Y” – type
• The angle between this straight contact line and the
• Common impression type
tangent at the pitch circle is the angle of action.
• Semi drum type
• “H” Tower or “I” - type
• Most manufacturers cut their gears on an involute
• Double cylinder system (Ten cylinder type)
curve for an action of 20¢ª but others prefer a 15¢ª
action angle to keep gear play within closer limits
WEBBING UP OPTIONS where the distance between axes must be altered,
such as when making pressure adjustments to one
• Draw the webbing up of four color on each side with
cylinder only.
the following available units. Two unit of semi drum
type with one vertical blanket to blanket unit. One reel
• The second method, chosen by most manufacturers,
stand, total couples 8.
is to dispense with the need for bearer contact and to
• Draw the webbing up for the following inputs. 4 H type
obtain a smooth, accurate performance from the gear
blanket to blanket, 4 inverted Y in which 2 tower type,
drive itself.
one blanket to blanket vertical type. Page 1,2,3,4
should be in 4 color. Page 6 in 2 color. Center spread
• The gear teeth will be of involute design and cut at
in 4 color. The total page level is 16.
an angle to provide helical meshing so that the teeth
receive gradual loading and share the drive with other
WEBBING UP OPTIONS teeth at all times.
• Draw the webbing up for the following inputs. 2 inline
• The greater this angle, the more the loading is shared,
presses , 2 blanket to blanket press, one 9 cylinder
but to the detriment of forward drive efficiency, and it
configuration, 2 reel stand. In 8 pages 1 & 8, 4 & 5 in
follows that the helix needs to be less acute on large
four color.
presses where power requirements are higher.
CYLINDER DRIVES • More elaborate gear designs can include curved

• Modern lithographic machines need absolute control shapes and V patterns but the increased efficiency
of cylinder drive and circumference ratios to obtain must be measured against cost and replacement.
high quality work. This means that the driving wheels
must roll against each other on the pitch circle and the • Another problem affecting mechanical efficiency on
interaction of every tooth must be consistent and free large machines arises from the flexing of cylinder
of vibration. shafts under load.
• Two methods are used to attain this ideal. • This can occur with rollers and cylinders where a load
is applied at the ends, causing the centre to bow.
• The first method requires hardened steel bearers at
both ends of each cylinder, machined to the pitch • Most modern machines have inker and damper roller
circle and running in contact with adjacent cylinder bearings inside the framework of the machine to
bearers to provide smooth running. minimise shaft length and reduce distortion.
• It is claimed that this system is less wearing to the • Driving gears are placed outside the framework for
drive gears, which can be of a straight cut type for stability and this also keeps the gears free from dust,
simplicity, but places strict discipline on impression lint and ink as they can be safely contained within
control. sideguards.
• Straight cut gear teeth are in complete contact for only

part of their mesh cycle and interruptions to the drive
can cause streaks and gear-marking.
• A better gear design is to cut the teeth so that the

tooth flanks follow an involute curve.
CIRCUMFERENTIAL REGISTER • There are many types of cylinder correction devices
such as the sliding worm, epicyclic gear helical gear,
CONTROLS
and differential gear mechanisms.
• The actual length of material flowing through a
machine will change during printing because of • The most press uses mainly the helical and differential
variations in the materials and processing conditions, gears to obtain unit-to-unit color registration.
and also the backlash in the mechanical parts.
• Only the 360¢ª differential gear system offers unlimited
• The tension levels, dryer temperatures, cooling cylinder correction potential, as all of the other
conditions, and the design of the machine as well, mechanisms have limited phase shifting capability.
influence the accuracy of its circumferential color
register.
» A typical helical gear cylinder correction system
• Circumferential color register is concerned with • The teeth of helical gears are set at an angle to their
face, and the slope can be as much as 45 .
O
the imposition of the various colored images in the
direction of web flow, or around the circumference of a
rotary printing cylinder . • If one helical gear is moved sideways across the face
of another helical gear, its phase relationship will
• The shrinkage and elongation web length changes, change in relation to the other gear.
as well as the printing cylinder position (timing) errors,
can cause the relative position (registration) of the • A helical gear set translates lateral linear motion into
series of ink layers which make up a multicolored angular rotational movement, and the amount of
image to vary enough to become unacceptable. phase shifting (register correction) is a function of the
slope of the teeth, the amount of side movement,
• All printing presses are built with a manual or auto and the diameter of the printing cylinder.
color register control device, which will allow the
operator to reposition any one of the colored images • Plate cylinder which is held stationary in one position
which have become misaligned during the printing run. in the press to maintain the side register of the various
colored images.
• An automatic color register control performs the
inspection, analysis, and corrective functions without • The movable bottom helical gear is located at its
the intervention of the machine operator. maximum right-hand position.
• The operator must establish the desired registration • The bottom helical gear lateral movement has caused
manually during the makeready procedure, and a rotational action on the plate cylinder in conjunction
then the automatic color register controls use with the drive rotation provided by another set of
this positioning as a reference for any variation in gears.
circumferential positioning during the run.
• If the phase shifting occurs in the direction of cylinder
rotation, the combined rotary movement increases the
cylinder’s speed momentarily during the movement of
PRINT CYLINDER REGISTER the helical gear.
CONTROL
• There are two methods of changing the circumferential • If the helical gear travels in the reciprocal direction, the
positioning of a printed image during the run, the web phase shifting will occur in the opposite direction, and
and cylinder correction methods. the plate cylinder will be slowed momentarily.
• Cylinder register control or cylinder correction is • Once the sliding helical gear is stopped, the plate
accomplished by changing the angular relationship cylinder reverts to its normal rotational speed in an
of one of the printing cylinders in relation to the first exact 1:1 relationship with the other plate cylinders.
cylinder.
• The momentary speed increase or decrease of the
• Cylinder correction is accomplished by maintaining plate cylinder is the basis of all cylinder correction
a fixed web length between the printing units, and color register control mechanisms.
altering the phase relationship of the cylinders.

• The compensator roller corrective action is based on
• A helical gear system usually has a circumferential the principle that the length of the web between units
register movement of ± 3 mm. determines the placement of the two images.
• The helical gear has 35 degree helix angle. The
• The sliding worm gear set which creates an angular amount of circumferential movement have to impact
movement in the worm wheel whenever the worm 5mm,the lead pitch is 0.5mm. How many turns have to
gear is moved laterally, in an action similar to that of make, to get the desired movement.
the helical gear system.
BLANKET BASICS
• The epicyclic cylinder correction system is one type of
360 gearbox.
O OFFSET PRINTING BLANKETS
• An offset blanket is the lynch pin of the printing
• The most common type of unlimited rotation phase process. Its function is to transfer ink from a printing
shifting device is the differential cylinder correction plate to a print surface without loss or impairment of
system . the image.
• All offset blankets comprise two basic elements, a
• A differential gearbox consists of 3 or 4 bevel gears. carcase and a surface layer. Each element endows
a blanket with certain properties and the subsequent
• All differentials must have an input and output bevel behavior and, sometimes, misbehavior of the blanket
gear, but they can have one or two spider or planetary on a press can often be attributed to the complex
gears. interaction between these properties.
• If a manual or motorized rotation of the control shaft
is performed, the input-to-output speed relationship is
changed.
» BLANKET CONSTRUCTION
• Correctional rotation in the direction of the output shaft • The primary function of the carcase is to provide a
rotation adds to the drive relationship, and corrections base upon which the surface layer can be securely
in the opposite direction subtract from the rotational mounted. Two types of carcase are most commonly
speed of the output shaft. used, the conventional and the compressible.
• When the correction shaft is stationary, the speed • The conventional blanket (carcase) is so called
relationship between the input and output shafts is because its construction has remained basically
constant, and it is equal to the speed of the other unaltered since the early part of this century.
differential gears in the printing section.
• It comprises two or three plies of fabric bonded
» WEB COMPENSATOR REGISTER CONTROL

together with rubber adhesive to form a laminate of
the required thickness.
• The old type of circumferential register correction
device used on inline and blanket to blanket presses is • A laminated carcase provides the flexible strength and
the web compensator roller. stability necessary to securely mount a blanket onto a
press cylinder under tension.
• The web compensator, commonly called the
compensator, is a movable roller which is locked in • Additionally, air trapped within and around individual
one position as long as its hand wheel or correction filament yarns of the carcase fabric provides a degree
motor is not turned. of compressibility.
• One compensator is needed to control the register • To avoid confusion, it must be appreciated that rubber
between two operations, either color-to-color or color- is virtually incompressible, but it is deformable. Thus,
to-cutting. when it is subjected to pressure, rubber will change its
shape without being reduced in volume. Air, however,
• This means that the number of web compensators will reduce in volume, or compress, when put under
on a web-fed machine is one less than the number of pressure. This significant difference becomes
registered units. important when the dynamic characteristics of a
blanket are considered.
• A web compensator roller mounted between two units.

» COMPRESSIBLE BLANKET manufacturing process.
• The compressible carcase, introduced in the 1950’s

• The rubber must first be mixed or compounded
and now representing 80% of the total market, is
with numerous other ingredients to give the desired
formed by introducing a layer of microcellular sponge
hardness, solvent resistance, resilience and colour
between two of the fabric plies.
on the final blanket. This is normally carried out in
• The sponge, normally between 0.25 mm and
an internal mixer, the purpose of which is to form a
0.5 mm thick, entraps air which increases the
homogeneous dry compound. Addition of suitable
compressibility of the carcase beyond that obtained
solvents to this dry compound with the aid of a ‘Z’
from a conventional type. The fact that the air-laden
blade type mixer produces a dough-like solution.
sponge layer is itself surrounded by resilient rubber
allows this type of carcase to recover more rapidly
• The coating is carried out on a spreading machine
from indentations of smashes experienced on a
using a knife over roller technique. A drum at the
press. Additionally, over pressure caused by creased
back of the machine pulls the fabric with controlled
or doubled sheets passing through the printing nip,
speed and tension under the knife where a thin layer
causes less damage to the blanket.
of solution is applied. The fabric passes over a heated
chest where the solvent is evaporated and removed
» BLANKET SURFACE LAYER with suction equipment. The process is repeated,
• The surface layer of a blanket is the medium by adding layer upon layer until the required thickness is
which ink is transferred from the plate to the material achieved. Each coat may be as little as 0.01mm thick
being printed. To do this effectively and consistently, so that as many as 50 or 60 layer passes are required
throughout the life of the blanket, the face layer should to achieve the final blanket gauge.
have the following properties:
• It must be receptive to the ink being used. • The carcase of 2,3 or 4 fabric plies is prepared first.
• It must not swell when treated with ink vehicles and Single ply cloth is coated with specially formulated
wash solvents. rubber adhesive compound to the required thickness.
• It must be free from blemishes. The plies of this are laminated together by passing
• It must be of uniform and precise thickness. between pressurised rollers. Additional plies can be
• It must be of uniform smoothness on the surface. similarly added to give the desired thickness.
• It must have good ink and sheet release properties so
that the paper does not stick to the blanket. • It is essential that the printing face is well bonded
• It must be resilient. to the carcase. This is ensured by applying coats
• It must be of uniform hardness. of primer to the carcase prior to building up the face
• It must not be abraded by the plate or the material layer. During face spreading there are frequent
being printed. checks on evenness of gauge and quality of surface.
• It must resist glazing, tackiness and blistering. The direction of spreading is reversed between coats
• The stringent demands of modern inks, papers, and increasing care has to be taken as the blanket
printing stocks and processes dictate that blanket nears its final thickness. In this way it is possible to
manufacturers select the appropriate rubber achieve a thickness tolerance + 0.03mm over 150
and compounding ingredients to give optimum square metres of material produced. After the last
performance for a particular application. coat the blanket is dusted with a protective layer of
chalk.
» BLANKET THICKNESS
• At this stage the rubber is soft and doughy in nature.
• The normal thickness of offset blankets is either 1.68 The blanket is then tightly wound onto a large drum
mm or 1.95 mm, often referred as three ply or four ply, and interleaved with a special paper before its
respectively. insertion into an autoclave.
» HOW BLANKETS ARE MADE • The compounds contain various chemicals that
transform the rubber to a true elastic state with the
• The offset blanket is made from a laminate of fabric application of heat. This vulcanisation or curing
and rubber, therefore the manufacturing process process takes several hours during which the blanket
basically consists of applying rubber to fabric. face moulds itself to the paper. This results in the
However, the need for accurate thickness and smooth ink receptive texture that is an important
freedom from blemishes demands a very specialised feature of litho blankets.

• After vulcanistion, the paper is stripped off the roll • Blankets should be stored in cool, dark conditions
of blanket which is then ready for inspection, quality away from sunlight.
control testing, trimming and cutting into individual
blankets.
» CHECKING
• Where possible, and before mounting them onto a
» GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR OFFSET BLANKET
press, check that the dimensions of the blanket are
• Offset blankets are the final point of contact between within ± 3mm of those specified. If the blanket has
ink and print surface and as such are considered the warp stripes, check that the blanket has been cut with
heart of the printing process. the stripes and not against.
• We have to choose the correct type of blanket. • Normal permitted tolerance on blankets cut out of line
is 1 .
O
» BLANKET TYPE
• Getting the best results from an offset blanket,
» HANDLING
however, requires thought and action long before • Special care is needed when handling blankets,
mounting it onto a press. particularly if large press formats are used.
• Firstly, the correct type of blanket must be selected for • Blankets which are rolled up or doubled over so that
its particular application. Also, paper type, ink grade the face is turned in are more susceptible to damage.
and cost are all factors which contribute to selection of • Accidental pressure on the roll of the blanket will
the correct blanket. kink or wrinkle the surface and will be impossible to
• When in doubt about these factors contact the remove.
supplier. • It is better to handle blankets face out, making sure
the face is not scuffed.
» BLANKET SIZE
• Secondly, the size and thickness of blanket required
» MOUNTING
must be accurately assessed and specified. • Prior to mounting, gauge the thickness of a blanket
• For many reasons, printers often decide to take with a micrometer. If packing sheets or underblankets
blankets of slightly different size than that designed for are to be used, check and double check that the total
the press, and suppliers are not always aware of the blanket height is correct.
size required for a printers particular press. • The blanket edges should be sealed to prevent
• Therefore, accurate specification is advisable when ingress of solvent.
ordering. Normal convention demands the size across • When the blanket has been mounted onto the press
the gripper followed by the cylinder circumferential cylinder, wash off residual chalk or talc from the
dimension. surface to ensure good ink transfer from the start.
• If blanket gauge or thickness is critical, then it is
advisable and realistic to specify a tolerance.
» LONGEVITY
• Blankets do not normally wear out; rather their
» GAUGING
longevity is decreased by smashes caused by
• The type of gauge used to measure blanket thickness incorrect paper type or press settings.
can influence the reading. Therefore, if gauge is • Checking and maintaining these at optimum will
critical, give the supplier a sample with the gauge certainly reduce the number of blankets used.
reading on it, or invite his agent to measure the • A record log should also be kept showing date of
thickness with his own micrometer. mounting as well as date and reason for its removal
• In this way, the supplier can guarantee delivery of from the press.
consistent, precisely gauged blankets. • Good recording enables the user to determine which
type of blanket lasts longer, and can prove useful if
» STORAGE claims against paper or board suppliers ensue.
• Blankets are normally delivered rolled in tubes but are

best stored flat, face to face.
» PRESS SETTINGS
• Storing face to back is not advisable as there is a • Press setting are best taken from the press
danger of interaction between the weave pattern on a manufacturers handbook. In general, compressible
blanket back being embedded into the surface layer. blankets should be overpacked by 0.05mm to 0.1mm,

though most press manufacturers will specify the • Frequency of the wash will depend upon type of stock
packing required for conventional and compressible and ink used; obviously, a blanket should always be
blankets. Initially, follow the recommendations but washed when it fails to transfer ink properly.
if problems do occur, adopt procedures to check
settings.
• Blanket life can be extended by using the correct
» EFFECTIVE CLEANING
wash, washing method and mounting procedure.

Every step should be taken to prevent solvent coming • Effective cleaning of an offset blanket provides the
into contact with the back of the blanket. The blanket best insurance for its long life and high performance.
is designed to be undercut and thus wrap over the A correctly cleaned blanket assists the printer to
packing sheet to jam against the bearer, preventing produce consistently high quality work with the
solvent getting in underneath the blanket. minimum amount of press downtime and paper
spoilage.
• Cleaning or wash up procedures recommended
» FACTORS INFLUENCING BLANKET SELECTION
by different blanket manufacturers may vary. For
• Press types. this reason, litho technicians recommend close
• Inks & washes. consultation with the blanket manufacturers
• Printing substrate. representative concerning type and frequency of
wash.
» FAULT RECOGNITION & DIAGNOSIS • Consultation is particularly recommended in plants
where two or more brand name products are in use.
• Glazed blanket.
• Interference patterning.
• Fabric patterning. • Most manufacturers agree on two important points:
• Face removal. • 1) Do not allow ink and/or gum to dry on a blanket
• Blanket gapping. surface.
• Smashed blanket. • 2) Avoid the use of slow evaporation cleaning
• White specks in print (Hickies) substances such as kerosene; avoid chlorinated or
• Mottled print. coaltar solvents such as carbon tetrachloride, carbon
• Overall light print. disulphide, ketones, ethers or mineral spirits.
• Linting/fluffing.
• Slur.
• Embossed blanket surface, ghosting, KB ¨KAURI-BUTANOL
• Mis-register • The pressman must also take care that the blanket
washes he uses are matched to his ink and blankets.
• Pressure on the blanket. • Repeated use of a solvent easily absorbed by the
• Blanket hardness: rubber blanket will cause deterioration.
• A) shore hardness. B) micro hardness. • Washes with high Kauri-butanol (KB) solvents should
• Tensioning & torque wrenches. be avoided.
• A low KB number indicates low solvency power.
» MOUNTING & BLANKET CARE • A high KB solvent will be absorbed by the rubber more
easily and evaporate more slowly.
• Blanket problems can be eliminated by using precise
• Rate of evaporation is important.
mounting and tightening techniques as well as taking
• A low evaporation rate forces delays in reinking
careful thickness checks.
after a blanket wash.
• Problems are not confined to those blankets which
• Retained solvent increases the tackiness and
have produced thousands of impressions, they can
frictional co-efficient of the blanket.
equally occur after just a few hundred.
• Washes for heat set blankets should have a KB
• Unless the problem stems from irreparable damage, a
number of 30 (or) less.
pressman can usually correct the deficiency in a short
time.
» WASHING FREQUENCY
• Opinions vary on the method and frequency of
washing blankets. There are no hard and fast rules.

THE INKING SYSTEM per cycle of the ductor can be varied.
• On most presses, the fountain roller is driven by its
• The inking system of the lithographic press consists of
own variable-speed motor.
a series of rollers that carries the ink from the fountain
• Some fountain rollers cannot be adjusted at all but
to the plate.
rotate at a constant speed.
• On blanket-to-blanket web offset presses, there are, of
course, two inking systems per unit: one supplying ink
to the top plate, and another to the bottom. » Ink adjustment
• The inking system has several important functions. Its • To avoid roller wear, the fountain blade should not
primary purpose is to deliver an even, controlled ink touch the fountain roller; instead, there should be a
film to the plate. narrow gap between the two. This setting is called as
• The thick film entering the system on each ductor zero setting the ink duct.
stroke is split among many rollers, so that the • Underneath the fountain blade on most presses is a
intermittent ink feed from the ductor is changed into row of screws called fountain keys, evenly spaced
the continuous feed required by the plate. along the entire width of the blade.
• Second, the inking system deposits the ink film as • By adjusting the keys, the blade can be moved closer
needed onto the plate. To do this, the system must to or farther away from the fountain roller, controlling
not only control the amount of ink flowing to the plate the thickness of the ink film across the roller.
around the cylinder, but must do so in the across-the-
cylinder direction as well.
• Third, the inking system acts as a reservoir to keep
» Ink adjustment
color consistent between ductor cycles and from • In an alternative to the conventional screw-type ink
impression to impression. fountain key adjustment, the position of the fountain
• Fourth, the inking system helps to control dampening blade relative to the fountain roller is controlled by an
on the plate by picking up some water as the press eccentric roller or cam that in turn is controlled by a
runs. lever.
• Some of the water mixes with the ink, forming an • This type of ink fountain adjustment has been used
emulsion. Too much emulsification will cause the on some newspaper-type web offset presses. One of
pressman problems, but in controlled amounts, the advantages of this type of control is the ease and
emulsification is essential to the lithographic process. rapidity of adjustments. Another advantage is that the
• Some water is also picked up by the blanket and is position of the various control handles across the ink
transferred to the sheet. fountain automatically give an indication of the setting
• The rest of the water evaporates and is of no further of the fountain blade across the press.
concern to the pressman. • The major disadvantage is that the precision of
• Fifth, the inking system also helps keep the plate clean adjustment available from either the conventional
during running by picking up foreign matter that may screw-type or the newer remote control ink fountain is
collect on the plate. not attainable.
• A roller specially designed for this purpose is often
used in one of the form roller positions.
Ductor roller
• In general design, the inking system consists of (a)
a fountain holding a supply of ink, (b) a ductor or • A ductor roller that oscillates every few revolutions of
transfer roller that carries the ink from the fountain the blanket cylinder takes ink from the fountain roller
to the roller train, (c) a roller train that works and deposits it on the first roller in the inking train.
and distributes the ink, and (d) forme rollers that The amount of ink put on the ductor and fed into the
deposit the ink onto the plate. inking train depends on two things:
• (a) the thickness of the ink film on the fountain roller
» Ink Fountain
which, as explained above, is determined by the gap
between the fountain blade and the fountain roller, and
• The ink fountain is a trough, shaped like a V tipped • (b) the amount of fountain roller rotation while in
on its side, holding the ink supply. The bottom of contact with the ductor.
the trough is a one strip of flexible steel (or several • The ductor roller “dwells” against the fountain roller
number of) blade, called a fountain blade. for a time, picking up ink, then swings over to the first
• The fountain roller, which forms the other side of the driven roller in the inking train and dwells against it,
ink trough, is fixed into the fountain assembly and depositing ink.
rotates in place. • This cycle is repeated periodically and fresh ink is fed
• With most fountain rollers, the amount of roller rotation into the inking train as the press runs.
• The ductor is the only roller in the inking system that condition is known as glazing; when it occurs, the
swings or oscillates in this way. roller loses its ability to properly carry and transfer
• Because of the action of the ductor, fresh ink enters ink. Periodic washup with multistep solvents is usually
the inking train intermittently, not continuously. enough to prevent glazing on the press.
• The different diameters and rotation periods of the
rollers help smooth out the feed, making the ink flow to
the plate more nearly uniform.
» Stripping
• Steel vibrator rollers are subject to different problems.
Probably the most common one is stripping, in which
the roller becomes water-receptive because gum is
» Ductorless” inking systems adhering to its surface.
• A number of “ductorless” inking systems have been • The usual cause of roller stripping is too much gum in
designed. the systems utilize metal rollers rotating in the fountain solution. But if the fountain pH is too low,
place. the tendency to strip is increased greatly because acid
• Generally, the surface of these rollers has a raised improves gum’s ability to stick to the roller surface.
pattern, such as a spiral or diamond-shape, so that • The cure for a stripped roller is to vigorously rub the
only a fraction of the full roller surface carries ink. roller down with pumice and water, and then go over it
• This is necessary because with a continuously rotating with an etch.
fountain roller there is a tendency to supply too much • The etch is usually a diluted acid, such as acetic,
ink. hydrochloric, or nitric acid mixed with water.
» Distributors
• Distributors, which transfer and help condition the ink,
have special mountings in the press frame, by means
of which they can be adjusted against adjacent rollers.
DAMPENING SYSTEMS
• Distributors are composed of an elastomeric material • The dampening system on a lithographic press wets
containing mixtures of plastics, pigments, and several the plate down before the ink form rollers meet it.
other ingredients. • Dampening systems vary more widely in basic design
than inking systems.
» Riders
• Riders are a special type of roller used in some inking
» CONVENTIONAL DAMPENING SYSTEM
systems. Running against only one roller, the rider • The conventional dampening system is still
further enlarges the inking system and works the ink used, despite its comparatively slow response to
before it reaches the plate. adjustments.
• Riders are also effective in collecting unwanted foreign • In general design, conventional dampening systems
particles from the ink. By holding these particles on resemble those for inking.
their surfaces, the riders keep them out of the main • A supply of fountain solution is held in a water pan. A
path of the ink flow. brass or chrome-plated pan roller rotates in the pan.
• Soft riders are generally set against hard rollers, while • As the roller turns, it draws a film of water onto its
steel riders are set against soft rollers. surface. It is usually driven by its own motor, separate
from the main press drive, or by a variable-speed drive
off the press.
» Forme rollers
• A ductor roller, which oscillates periodically, takes the
• The inking system rollers that contact the plate are fountain solution from the pan roller and transfers it to
called ink forme rollers or, more simply, forme rollers. the surface of a metal vibrator.
Some presses have four forme rollers while others • As in the inking system, the dampening ductor swings
have only two or three. back and forth between the pan roller and the vibrator.
• The shore hardness of these rollers are 26 to 30. Some slippage has to be built into the dampening
system.
• The pan roller cannot run at press speed without
» Roller glazing throwing solution all over the press area, but other
dampening rollers run at press speed. The ductor
• Rollers are subject to surface buildup of dried ink, speeds up and slows down during its cycle to bridge
gum, and sometimes, paper coating material. This this speed difference.
• The ductor is made of a plasticized-rubber compound storing water. However, it easily becomes greasy and
and is always covered to increase its water storage will release lint when new. In addition, depending
capacity. on how dirty or greasy it gets, its thickness can vary,
changing the effective radius of the roller.
• A vibrator is the next roller in the dampening system. • In effect, this change in radius changes the roller
It is driven from the press drive and, like the vibrators setting, which in turn makes it difficult to maintain a
in the inking system, oscillates from side to side. uniform film of water unless the pressman resets the
There is no setting adjustment on this roller, which is dampener rollers.
permanently fixed in the dampener unit frame. The
dampening vibrator is usually chrome-plated steel. • Setting the pressure between the various dampening
• The dampener form rollers wet down the plate directly. rollers is critical. With too little pressure the rollers
Most presses have one dampening form roller, won’t drive efficiently. Too much pressure will wring
although some have two in use. Dampeners are water from the rollers and not enough will reach the
nondriven, rubber rollers, or covered with a cloth. plate.
• Newspaper presses employ rubber rollers as • The basic setting procedure is the same as that for the
dampening forme. inking rollers. Three film strips are used, or for more
accurate results, the metal tongue of a roller-setting
• The conventional dampening system is an intermittent gauge may be inserted in place of strip.
feed system. Water does not move in a continuous • As in the inking system, the reference point used
film from the fountain pan to the plate. in setting the rollers is the vibrator, which must be
• The amount of water in the dampening system is parallel to the fountain roller and to the plate cylinder.
lowest just before the ductor contacts the vibrator. This should be checked periodically as part of long-
Then water surges through the system when the term maintenance. If the vibrator is not parallel, the
ductor makes contact. pressman should not attempt to reset it himself. Such
• These surges of water make control of the settings are extremely critical and should be made by
conventional dampening system difficult, and the a press mechanic.
problem is more serious here than in the inking system
because the dampening system is so short. • In most cases, dampening form-to-plate pressure
• Because the problem is inherent in the design, the should be less than that between the dampener and
pressman must learn how to control it. the vibrator. Too tight a setting can “squeegee” water
from the plate and also increase plate wear. The ideal
• Absorbent cloth and paper dampener covers help to is to set just enough pressure so that adequate water
provide more uniform dampening by increasing the transfers smoothly to the plate.
storage capacity of the rollers. • To set the ductor, the printing unit is inched until the
• Increased storage capacity in the dampening system ductor is at maximum pressure against the vibrator.
acts like a sponge, absorbing excess water and giving The film strips are inserted between the two rollers
it up when the supply becomes low. and tested for drag. The strips should be inserted at
• This produces a dampening flow to the plate that has three or two points along the length of the ductor.
less variation and therefore delivers less total water. • The printing unit is then inched until the ductor touches
The advantages of increased storage are better the fountain pan roller. Again, the strips are used
control and minimum water delivered to the plate. in three positions along the ductor to ensure correct
• The problems with large capacity dampening systems setting and alignment.
are their slow response to changes. In such a system,
if the pressman wishes to increase the amount of
water, the dampening system is turned up and a spray
» Controlling flow of water
bottle is used to increase the amount of dampening • All dampening systems meter, or measure, the water
solution in the system. into the press. On a conventional system, this is done
in two ways.
• The fountain pan roller is driven, though not by the
» Dampening forme (molleton)
press drive. It has its own motor, which can be
• The most widely used material for covering dampening adjusted for faster or slower rotation..
form rollers is cloth, usually a fabric called molleton, • The second adjustment in the dampening system
woven as a sleeve, slipped over the roller and tied at controls the length of time the ductor dwells against
the roller ends. the fountain roller.
• Molleton has a relatively long nap and is good for • When the pan roller rotates at high speed and the

ductor dwells against it for a comparatively long time, • The bristles of the brush roller ride in contact with the
water is put on the entire surface of the ductor. On variable-speed pan roller.
the other hand, when the pan roller turns slowly, and • The brush roller rotates at a constant speed and is set
the ductor dwells for a short time, only a narrow band at a constant pressure against the pan roller.
of water is deposited on the ductor. These are, of • This pressure is great enough to flex the bristles. The
course, extreme settings. The important thing is that bristles “flick” solution at the vibrator, which is not in
the flow of water to the plate be as continuous and contact with the brush.
uniform as possible. • The amount of solution fed is varied by changing
• Adjusting water feed by column is possible. This the speed of the pan roller, and water flow can be
involves the setting of special tabs, squeegees or modulated across the press by the use of water stops.
rollers called water stops against the surface of the This system uses a single form roller which is usually
pan roller. This modulates the flow of water across the covered, but can be run bareback (without a cover).
press and is equivalent to closing the setting on the
blade in the ink fountain. • A second type of brush system is equipped with a
• Water stops are especially useful when running row of flicker fingers pressing against a brush roller
narrow webs. Moisture will build up on the roller ends mounted in the pan itself. The fingers flex the bristles
unless water stops are used to hold it back. and perform a metering function, the amount of flex
determining the amount of water flicked. The amount
• The smooth metal surface of the vibrator can become of feed can be varied across the plate because each
greasy. The pressman can sometimes see it because finger is independently adjustable. The rotation of the
the film of water on the vibrator surface will be broken. brush roller can also be varied to throw more or less
• Such a roller should be thoroughly rinsed with a water on the plate.
solvent that will cut grease. The solvent should then • The settings between vibrator and dampener and
be washed away with water, and the roller etched. (A between dampener and plate on all brush systems are
plate etch is fine for this) determined by the film strip method. The uniformity
• The roller should then be wet down to see if the water of the setting on the brush roller can be checked by
beads. If it beads, the cleaning operation should be inserting a gauge .
repeated. If it doesn’t, the roller is ready for operation.
• In operation, the brush roller should be set light
» CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM (flap) initially, then advanced to its proper settings. Heavy
setting can cause undue wear, which can break down
• Another type of intermittent-feed system is the flap the brush roller. When this happens, the pressman
ductor. Its pan roller has a removable covering of begins to find bristles on the plate, and those still on
canvas flaps, and the vibrator is mounted close the roller lose their flexibility.
enough to the flap roller to touch the ends of the flaps. • Some pressmen change the conventional dampening
Usually a single, molleton-covered dampener wets system by running the dampeners bareback. This is
down the plate. often done with brush systems because it makes the
• The principle of the system is simple. The flapper entire system more sensitive (more rapidly responsive)
“paints” the vibrator with solution. The faster the to changes in fountain settings.
flap roller rotates, the more solution is transferred to • Alcohol is usually added to the fountain solution to
the vibrator. A major advantage is that the system help bareback dampeners run efficiently. Alcohol acts
eliminates ductor shock, which can be important on as a wetting agent and reduces the surface tension of
larger, high-speed presses. The major disadvantage water, in effect making it “wetter”.
is that the system makes it difficult to modulate water • This helps the uncovered rubber roller in picking up
feed across the press. solution and wetting down the plate.
» Brush dampening system • Isopropyl alcohol is being used in fountain solutions

on a large number of web offset presses. These
• Continuous-feed systems starts with the elimination,
presses are usually equipped with one type of non-
in one way or another, of an intermittent water supply,
conventional dampening system or another, although
thereby getting rid of some of the problems associated
alcohol is reportedly being used on many conventional
with conventional systems.
systems as well.
• One major type of continuous feed is the brush
• Today there are a number of alcohol substitutes being
system. One brush system has the usual pan roller
run very successfully on web offset presses.
with a brush roller mounted over it.
• Although a lot of printers are having trouble running

alcohol substitutes successfully, the problem appears • One variation on the Dahlgren restores a separate
to be with the settings and maintenance on the press dampening form roller to the dampening system, and
rather than any problem with alcohol substitutes. uses an oscillating roller riding in contact with only the
• In those pressrooms where press settings are dampening form roller. According to the manufacturer,
carefully controlled and press maintenance is good, this oscillator performs a “clean-up” job, preventing
there seems to be no problem with running alcohol foreign matter from working back from the plate
substitutes. through the dampening system and contaminating the
fountain.
» THE DAHLGREN DAMPENING SYSTEM
• The Dahlgren dampening system is quite different
» Spray dampening system
from the conventional system. • The design of the spray dampening system is unique.
• One of the Dahlgren’s main features is the use of the Fine mists of solution are sprayed directly onto the
first inking form as a combination inking/dampening rollers system.
form roller. • The sprays come from a row of nozzles mounted on a
• Another difference is that it does not have a ductor. bar across the press.
• The Dahlgren is a continuous-feed system, which is • Each nozzle can be independently metered.
one of its advantages. • There is no recirculation of fountain solution. This is
• A very important advantage is the system’s rapid a distinct advantage in that fresh fountain solution is
response to changes in fountain settings, largely constantly being used to dampen the plate.
attributable to the absence of storage capacity in the • Because of the reduced exposure to atmospheric and
system. press conditions, there is little or no chance of any
• The Dahlgren dampener consists of two rollers that changes in the fountain solution taking place. This
deliver water to an ink form roller. eliminates one of the big drawbacks encountered
• One of these two rollers is a chrome-plated steel roller, with dampening systems that re-circulate the fountain
the other is a soft roller. solution.
• Which of the two is the pan roller depends on the • The biggest problem with running this system is the
particular press requirements. possibility of contamination of the individual pumps
• Another feature, particular to the system, is that the and spray nozzles by minerals that are present in
rollers are driven completely independently of the most water supplies. Treating water so that it will not
press and their surface speed is not the same as that clog either the pumps or the spray nozzles can be a
of the plate. The hard roller in the system rubs against problem.
a special first ink form roller. The rubber roller meters • The spray bar is located at an angle so that it sprays
the water film on the hard roller. down into an in-running nip. Depending upon the
• The rotation of the form roller carries the water physical location of the rollers and the dampening
deposited on it directly to the plate. system, this may or may not require the addition of
• Control of water supply is attained through speed extra rollers.
control of the two rollers as well as the adjustable
squeeze between them.
• Isopropyl alcohol, or a satisfactory substitute, is
required in fountain solutions run with the Dahlgren XTRA NOTES
dampening system. One of the differences this makes
is the replacement of some of the water, usually 20-
25%, with alcohol. A more important consideration is
the need to have the water film lay smoothly on top
The Inking System
of the ink-covered form roller. This is accomplished
by the wetting properties of either the alcohol or the The inking system has 4 basic functions
alcohol substitute.
• Setting the rollers on a Dahlgren system is different 1. Move the ink from the ink fountain to the plate.
from setting rollers on a conventional system. 2. Break down the thick charge of ink into a thin
The form roller is set heavier to the plate than uniform film around the rollers.
on conventional systems because the roller is 3. Work the ink into printing condition.
considerably softer. The form roller should leave a 4. Remove image repeats on the form from previous
stripe of about ½ in. (12 mm) or more on the plate printing cycles. The inking system on sheetfed presses
when “taking a picture” of roller settings. usually has 10 rollers.

intermittently or continuously, a fountain blade, which
It includes the following parts: may be a spring steel plate, steel segments or plastic
approaching the fountain roller at an angle and two
» 1. Ink fountain - fountain cheeks, which are vertical metal pieces that
contact the fountain roller edges. As the fountain roller
• A pan that contains the ink supply. turns, the majority of the ink is held back by the blade,
which is very close to the fountain roller. The distance
» 2. Ductor or ductor roller - between the blade and fountain roller is controlled by
the fountain keys.
• A transfer roller that alternately contacts the ink
• These can be used to control the amount of ink
fountain roller and the first roller of the inking system.
delivered to different areas of the plate. Ductor roller-
Often an oscillator.
The first roller in the train, feeds a metered amount
of ink from the fountain to the inking system by
alternately contacting the fountain roller and the first
» 3. Oscillators or vibrators - oscillator. A properly timed ductor roller contacts the
oscillator when the form rollers are in the plate gap.
• Gear or chain driven rollers that not only rotate but
This negates the effect of ductor shock, the vibration
oscillate from side to side.
sent through the system when the ductor first contacts
Distribute and smooth out the ink film and erase image
the oscillator.
patterns from the form roller.
» Oscillators -
» 4. Intermediate Rollers - • Accepts ink from the ductor, passing it onto the
remaining rollers in the train where the ink is worked
• Friction- or gravity-driven rollers between the ductor
down to a smooth film. An inking system has several
and form roller that transfer and condition the ink.
oscillators (also called drums or vibrators) which are
Often called the distributors if they contact two rollers
usually made of steel tubing covered with copper,
or riders if they contact a single roller (such as an
ebonite, nylon or some other oil receptive material.
oscillator).
They move laterally (side to side) at least once every
revolution of the plate cylinder. This smoothes out the
ink film and reduces banding.
» 5. Form rollers -
• A series of 3 or 4 rollers (usually differing diameters) » Distributors -
that contact the plate and transfer ink to it. The series
of rollers is often called the roller train. The roller train • Resilient rollers that carry the ink from one oscillator
is composed of a series of hard and soft rollers. This to another. Driven by surface friction contact with
long roller train is necessary because of the unique oscillators.
character of the paste ink. The ink is both thixotropic
and pseudoplastic (shear thinning). » Riders -
• This property causes the initially large apparent
• Hard rollers that make contact with only a single
viscosity to be greatly reduced under the shear
roller and do not transfer ink. Help condition the ink
provided by the rollers. The apparent viscosity
by increasing the ink path and collect debris such as
decreases with time under a constant shear rate
paper fiber and dried ink.
and also decreases with increasing shear rate. The
hard rollers are usually steel covered with copper,
ebonite or nylon. The soft rollers (ductor, intermediate » Form rollers -
and form) are made of synthetic rubber or other
• Several (2-4) resilient rollers that contact the plate.
polymer. They may be PVC (polyvinl chloride),
Usually have different diameters to reduce mechanical
Buna-N (copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile) or
ghosting (ghost image appearing in the printed image
polyurethane. due to uneven ink take-off from the form rollers). They
lift off from the plate when the press is idling.
» Ink fountain -
• Trough that holds the ink supply. The ink is formed
by the fountain roller, a metal roller that turns
Dampening Systems shown on the right, will have the ability to feed the
fountain solution into the ink system as well as to the
offset plate. A ductor roller still picks up the fountain
» The conventional or Direct dampening system solution and transfers it to the transfer rolls and then to
The conventional or Direct dampening system employs the form rollers. Most newer presses today, however,
a fountain roller which picks up the fountain solution do not employ the ductor roller but use a continuous
in the fountain pan. A ductor roller takes the fountain feed system (see inset).
solution from the fountain roller and passes it to a
distributor roller. From here the fountain solution is
transferred to the offset plate via one or two fountain
form rollers. The ductor and form rollers (rollers that
contact the plate) of the system usually have a cloth or
paper cover which some printers call a “sock”. In years
past they were known as “molleton” covers. Today the
rollers are covered with 3M paper sleeves or a fabric
type such as Veratec Red Runners.
A fine emulsion of ink and water is then developed on

this ink roller. This is one reason printers need to know
about “water Pickup” or what percentage of water can
be taken up by the ink. This system is also known as
an “integrated” dampening system as it is integrated
into the ink system. One of the benefits of this system,
is that is does not use covers thus it reacts quicker
when dampening changes are made.
You generally find this type of dampening on newer
A drawback of this system is the slow reaction time in and faster press equipment today.
making adjustments due to the “back and forth” action
of the ductor. Also the cloth covers become soiled with » The continuous dampener
ink and need cleaning, otherwise they can transfer the
The continuous dampener is actually a roll type coater.
ink to the non-image areas of the plate.
There area two types of continuous dampeners - one
type feeds fountain solution directly to the plate and
» The Indirect conventional dampening system the other feeds it directly into the ink system. The
The Indirect conventional dampening system feeds the continuous dampener uses a four roller system:
fountain solution directly into one of the ink form (roller
that touches the plate) rollers. This system is known as • Fountain Pickup roller
“indirect” since the fountain travels to the plate via an • Slip roller
ink form roller and not directly to the plate as the above • Transfer roller
system does. Some indirect systems, such as the one • Water form roller

The slip roller controls the amount of fountain solution

supplied to the plate. Speed the roller up and you feed
» The Dampening System
more fountain solution. Slow it down and you supply

less. The use of alcohol on these type of dampeners • The dampening system applies a aqueous
was standard for years. Alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol) dampening solution to the plate before it is inked. This
was used as it increased the fountain solution viscosity keeps the nonimage area moistened to that it will not
and made it “more wettable” so that transfer was accept ink.
easier from one roller to the other. The Government, • Gum in the fountain solution adsorbs on the
however, has pushed to eliminate the use of alcohol nonimage area to keep it water-wet. The gum does not
as it is contains VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). adsorb on the image area which is not water-wet. This
Alcohol substitutes such as Glycol ethers, Butyl area is generally oil-wet.
Cellusolve, etc., are being used today to accomplish • A concentrated form used to mix a fountain solution is
the same task. Roller hardness is also being changed called fountain concentrate, fountain etch or just etch.
to help accomplish the same job - easy transfer of the These usually contain Gum Arabic or synthetic gums
fountain solution. for desensitizing.
• Most dampening solutions are acidic (pH 4-5)
because the gum performs best under acid conditions.
Continuous dampeners can either feed directly to the Recall that the gum reacts with and attaches to the
plate (above) or directly into the ink system (right). Aluminum oxide surface of the plate.
Advantage can vary but usually is determined by the
press manufacturer. Other material contained in dampening solution are
Recall that most lithographic plates function on the 1) corrosion inhibitors to prevent reactions with the plate,
principle of water and ink receptive areas. In order for 2) a pH buffer, wetting agents such as isopropanol or its
ink to adhere only to the image areas on the plate, a substitutes,
layer of moisture must be placed over the nonimage 3) a fungicide to prevent mildew and the growth of fungus
areas. The dampening system accomplishes this by and bacteria in the dampening system, and
moistening the plate consistently throughout the press 4) an antifoaming agent facilitate even distribution of
run. dampening solution. Some concentrates may require

added alcohol in addition to water. systems.
• Water - The effectiveness of dampening solution
depends on local water supply. Hard water requires The AB Dick and Ryoobi duplicators are examples of
stronger acid than soft. presses which employ integrated dampening systems.
• To assure the most consistent performance, use
distilled or deionized water. The plate wetting 3. Continuous flow dampening systems do not employ
characteristics depend on surface tension of ductor rollers to deliver dampening solution. There
dampening solution. are two types, inker-feed and plate-feed. Both use
• This is reduced by both the gum (surfactant) and the metering rollers instead of ductors. The inker-feed
alcohol (cosurfactant). The alcohol also increases the systems operate similar to integrated dampening
viscosity of the dampening solution which allows a systems in that only one set of form rollers are
thicker layer of dampening solution to be applied to employed. The plate-feed have separate ink and water
the nonimage area of the plate. trains like conventional dampening systems and may
• The alcohol evaporates faster than water so that less employ cloth wrapped form rollers.
dampening solution reaches the paper. The alcohol
reduces the tendency of ink to emulsify into the
dampening solution.
» Types of Dampening Systems
Dampening systems are classified by whether the

water flow is intermittent or continuous and whether
cloth form rollers are employed to transfer fountain
solution to the plate. Of the possible combinations, 3
are in use.
1. Separate (from inking system) dampening system

rollers with cloth covered form rollers and ductor
rollers in both ink and water fountains. Usually called
Conventional dampening
systems.
The Heidelberg Kord as

shown next is an example of
a conventional dampening
system.
The Hamada 600 CD

duplicators also have
conventional dampening
systems.
2. Combined (ink and

dampening) - consists of
rollers which carry fountain
solution to the plate on
ink covered rollers. Ductor
rollers are included in both
fountains. Since there is no
distinction between ink and
dampening form rollers, no
cloth can be used on the
form rollers. These are called
integrated dampening systems or indirect dampening

Web Offset Machines different units, they reach overlapping on the kite
former.
The machine on which a web of paper or any other
material is continuous feeding is printed, is called web
The end par of the machine is called delivery unit.
offset printing machine. In this process, the unwinding
Here all the webs are folded once, twice or thrice as
of paper reel is a continuous feeding system from start
required.
to the delivery part of the machine. Web-fed offset
printing machines were invented to overcome the
Some of the machines also have slitting, cutting,
problems of sheet-fed single and multi-colour printing
stiching and other attachments. In this way, these
machines. The registration and carrying of sheets from
machines produce complete printed books or
pile board to the delivery board has also complicated
magazines at the delivery part. Some of the machines
mechanisms.
produce 8 to 16 page sections only folded and slitted.
The covering and stitching operations are performed
Printing machines of such principles are designed
by hand or seprate machines are used.
into different units. Number of units of a machine are
designed according to the different requirements of
the nature of jobs to be printed. The size of the web to » Driving Mechanism
be fed and printed in the machine differs according to From the above description, it is obvious that web-fed
the size of the machine and jobs. Web offset machines offset machines are so designed that they cover a
are being used for printing books, newspapers, large area on the floor. Hence the driving mechanism
magazines, stationery materials etc. there is very of such machines also has large field to study in detail.
slight difference in all the above job suited machines. The main driving features are described as under in
different groups.
Generally, web printing machines are made in one
to four units. The whole machine may cover a floor
length of 8 to 13 meter and may be 2.5 to 3.5 meters
» Eelectrical Arrangements
high. Therefore it is necessary to divide the important
parts of the huge machine into some groups for Web offset machines containing three or four units
detailed study. require nearly 40 horse power motor to drive all the
parts of the machine. The electrical arrangements to
» Design of web machines
control and maintain the operations of various parts
are provided in one or two large almirahs. These
almirahs are fitted about two meteres away from the
Web-fed offset printing machines are designed to print machine.
both sides of the paper at a time. For this purpose,
these machines are made into one to four units. Each The almirah contains main electric switch controls the
unit of the machine prints both side of a web in one current coming from out side. Beside, this, separate
colour. electrical arrangements in the almirah are provided for
driving the main motor of the machine, compressor,
In this way, each unit of a web-fed machine requires pumping dampening water and other functions.
one reel stand to hold its reel and print it on both Various electric wires go out of almirah and are
sides but generally, it is not so. Most of the multi unit assembled into the consol (control) box. All the wires
machines have one or two extra units, Which do not have different switches and are connected with the
need separate reel stand. The extra units are used to operating parts of the machine.
print another colour on any side of the web. Therefore
it is obvious that one unit of web-fed machine must
have two plates, two blankets and two impression
» Controlling box
cylinders. In the same way, each unit should have two
inking and two dampening systems. Most of the web offset printing machines have a
controlling box fitted nearly 1.5 to 2 meter away from
Besides the above main features in one unit, there the machine. To controlling box is installed near the
is web controlling device which look like another delivery part of the machine to easily check and
unit. The machine is so designed that all the webs control the quality of printing. All the operating and
of each reel fetch first in this unit and get proper controlling connections come in it from the electrical
tension. Thereafter all the webs are forwarded into almirah. The same are then joined with the functioning
their printing units. After printing all the webs through parts of the machine.
machine. There is a thick shaft in the center of the
The controlling box has various switches to control the driving wheel. Its other end has a gear whose teeth
functions of the machine which are as follows: mesh with the gears of each unit driving shaft. Each
cylinder of the printing unit revolves through the gears
• Lock of the machine: It has a locking point to lock fitted in the driving shafts of the unit.
and open all the functions of this box. The locking
and opening of the box is done through a key like the At each unit, the driving shaft has a helical gear
ordinary locks. to revolve the cylinders and inking rollers. All the
functions of the machine are performed through these
• Operating switches: One top of the box, these are gears attached with the main driving shaft.
more than 20 to 40 switches to inch, show, run the
machine etc. It has also a switch to stop the running » Oiling systems
machine. Besides these, the box has two switches
on for reducing and another for increasing the speed
of the machine. Some of the machines have only two Such type of huge and large machines have many
switches for this purpose. The pressing of the switches number of frictional parts. Obviously they need proper
increases of reduces the speed of the machine. lubrication. Web offset printing machines are equipped
with pump mechanism. On top of each unit gear box
Generally, web-fed machines are made for more than has continuous lubricating systems through pump
10 to 30 thousand impressions per hour and run at mechanism. On top of each unit there is a small glass
nearly half or three fourth of the maximum speed. cap to see whether he oil flow is continuous or not.
Separate switches are provided for compressor motor,
impression and off, reel tear prevention and water Beside, all unit gear boxes and other frictional parts
dampening. One switch is also there for reverse are also joined with the oil pipes. The mobil oil flows
running of the machine. In this way, various switches through the tubes and reaches upto the frictional parts
are for different functions, adjustments and controls. of the machine have spartat small oil tanks. These oil
tanks are filled with mobil oil when needed.
• Counting machine: Some of the web offset printing
machines have only one counting machine in the Web-fed machines have a number of small and
controlling box or at delivery part. Generally, some large bearing. Each tension roller, forwarding rollers,
of the controlling boxes have two counting machines oscillating rollers, some of the steel drums and
along with their switches. cylinders have bearings, which require lubricating daily
or after a week or two. Good quality grease should be
Only one counting machine is used at a time and applied in the bearing by a grease gun or by hand and
another is stopped. The counting machine of the oil by oil gun or by oil can. Large sized 4 units web
controlling box receives signals from the counter offset printing machines requires nearly 5 liter mobil oil
fitted at delivery part of the machine. These counting in each unit gear box after a week or two. Generally,
machines count the number of copies being printed. the gears of the cylinders have continuous showering
The counted numbers of the machine generally of mobil oil through pump circulating system.
multiplied by 2 or 10. It becomes very easy to see the
counter and stop the machine.
» Reel stand unit
Different designs or marks are also made near all the
switches do denote the function of the switch. Small
The first and very important part of a web-fed offset
web offset machines equipped with one or two units
printing machine is reel stand. The side walls of the
or one side printing units have small controlling boxes
stand are fitted on the floor. Different types of reel
fitted in the body of the machine near the delivery part.
stands are named as single, double and revolving
systems. Single reel stand has only one reel, double
» Machine driving stand has two reels and revolving type of stand may
To drive the large size web offset printing machine a have two or three at one place. Revolving reel stand
heavy horse power main driving motor is provided. has automatic reel changing device. A reel of paper
Nearly 30 to 40 H.P. motors are used in these is suspended in a shaft and fitted on the stand. It has
machines. Four to six belts are fitted on the motor a knife, gumming brush and paster arm for changing
pulley, which join with the main driving wheel of the new reel automatically in slow running.

Following are the main working parts related with the the shaft between two wedge shaped couplings.
unwinding and pre-infeed system of a reel.
The round plate has two or three holes to insert the

pin of the lever, which is used to tighten or loosen the
reel in the reel shaft. The round plate acts as a puller
to pull the reel in the required position. The reel is
very firmly tightened or easily loosened by turning the
» Reel shaft round plate.
A thick steel rod is inserted in the central hole (core) of » Brake wheel
the reel. There is one wedge shaped coupling at one
side and a round plate on the other side of the shaft.
One side of the shaft has a screwed part in which
a round plate is inserted permanently. Two wedge
One more round but wide wheel is fastened at one
shaped couplings are inserted in the shaft, one near

the round plate and another at the opposite side of
the reel shaft. In the opposite side, wedge shaped
coupling is loosened or tightened in the shaft by an
alen wrench for adjustments.
First of all, the shaft is inserted in the hole (core) of the
reel. The thinner side of the opposite side coupling,
is inserted in the hole of the reel and hammered a
little. After that it is tightened by alen wrench. Now
the round plate is turned in shaft’s screw, the shaft is
pulled through this and the reel is firmly tightened on

end of the reel shaft. The brake jaw is tightened on perform these functions. This motor is fitted near the
this wheel. The brake wheel is made of smooth steel opposite side of reel shaft.
nearly 15 cm wide and 15 cm in diameter. The brake
is loosened by pressing a paddle and then the reel When the reel centerting or shifting switches are
with shaft is taken out. The brake wheel and the puller pushed, the mechanism fitted on the opposite side
plate do not come the reel shaft, when the shaft is of the reel shaft pushes or pulls the reel shaft. In this
taken out after finishing the reel. way, the reel shaft as well as the reel is adjusted
wherever required. This mechanism is meant for
Through the continuous brake system, the web does adjusting the side margin in the web in order to
not become loose when the machine is stopped. achieve corrent registration.
» Tension rollers
After the reel is set in its proper place, one end of the
web of the reel is taken out and forwarded through
an idler and tension steel roller. The very important
roller which exerts first tension in the web is called
tension roller. The web is set under this roller. This
roller continuously vibrates up and down. The web
remains in required tension from beginning to the end.
The tension roller adjusts the speed of the revolutions
of the reel gradually from starting a new reel and upto
the last.
Besides that, the web is pulled towards the printing
units in required tension. A new reel has a large diameter and it gives greater
length of web in one revolution. Gradually, the
diameter of the reel reduces and it gives less length of
web in one revolution. Due to this factor, the tension
of web may have to be adjusted every time which is
not possible. When the speed of the web changes in
» Lifting and lowering the reel
the running time, the problem of loosening or excess
tightening of the web occurs. Swinging or vibrating
The finished reel of the shaft is lowered for changing type or tension roller is fitted in each web-fed machine
the new. The reel with the shaft is lifted-up after to overcome the problem.
tightening the reel in the shaft. This function is done
by rotating a large wheel. The brake wheel is set into
the brake jaw and the other end of the rod is set in its
place and tightened firmly.
» Checking of momentum
I n older web-fed printing machines, there is a large

The lock of the brake wheel is tightened with a screw leather belt (strap) which continuously presses nearly
and bolt by hand. After that the reel along with the the half of the peripheri of the reel. This belt generally
shaft is lifted-up by rotating the wheel. goes towards the feeding side in the similar speed
when the diameter of the reel is reduced. This belt
was used for giving continuous brake to the reel to
maintain even tension in the web and also to control
» Centering the reel shaft
the momentum of the reel.
Web-fed machines have a switch board for different The function of the idler and tension roller is done
adjustments of the reel after fixing it on the reel stand. through a long spring attached with the reel shaft
There are switches for shifting the reel both sides. One towards the brake system. Besides the main tension
switch is provided for slow and one for fast running of roller, there are five to six other rollers to maintain the
the machine. A small motor is separately provided to tension of web as directed by the tension roller. The

web is set on all these rollers to produce even tension part of the web is done. The gumming is done by a
at slow and high speeds. Each of the roller is made of brush. The whole width of the splicing web is gummed
steel and revolves freely on its bearings by the friction automatically.
of the moving web.
• The last and fourth process is to cut the finishing web
All these systems and mechanisms are made for all by a knife. The cutting of the web is so set that the
the reel stand units. The machines using three or four knife should come into action after one revolution of
reels, have all the same arrangements for each reel splicing the web. After cutting the web, its braking
stand. device stops the reel stand to avoid unwanted opening
the remaining reel. Before cutting the used web, the
» Automatic reel changing spliced web is pressed by an arm to ensure perfect
joining of both the webs.
The manual reel changing process requires stoppage

of the machine until the next reel is set on the stand.
Therefore, valuable time on the machine is saved by
» Web control unit
changing the reel automatically.
Some of the machines do not have this system as a
For automatic change of the reel, a new reel is fitted separate unit. They have larger number of forwarding
in its shaft and set on another reel stand which is fixed and tension rollers before the web is fed into the
similarly as the running reel. When the reel is about to printing unit.
Generally, such type of printing machines have

crosswise or angular tension rollers and web transfer
rollers. The latest web offset printing machines, which
have blanket to blanket printing principle, are equipped
with the system of separated web control unit.
The purpose of this unit is to create sufficient tension

in the web before it enters the printing cylinder,
because the web may have some looseness when
it rewinds and forwards to the printing units. All
be finished, the following operations are done by the the printing webs have to enter this unit through a
operator. separate set of tension cylinders. The main parts and
adjustments of this unit are as follows.
• T
he new reel stand is slowly revolved towards the
finishing web. The new reel and the finishing web are Tension control unit:
maintained parallel in the splicing position. Nearly 10
to 15 mm distance should be maintained between the This is the unit through which all the webs have to
new reel and the finishing web. enter for the removal of any type of looseness and to
reduce the speed. It has two main cylinders. One is
• The speed of the running web and the new reel are made of steel and the other is rubber covered.
operated in the similar speed. Some of the machines
are equipped with variable speed motor in each reel The steel cylinder is driven through P.I.V. gear system.
stand, which is necessary for correct splicing and The rubber cylinder revolves on its bearings. The web
controlling even tensions in both the webs. The cline enters between these two cylinders. The web forwards
system is very suitable for perfect jointing of the under the pressure of both these cylinders. Thus the
webs. In this system, there are bands which press speed of the web is reduced. It is necessary that the
the spliced part of the web in running position. In the speed of the web should be reduced before it enters
cline system, specially prepared powder adhesive is the printing unit.
sprayed on the splicing part of the web. The powder
becomes an active adhesive after spraying a specially P.I.V. gear system:
prepared solvent.
The tension of all the webs is reduced or increased
• In the third process, automatic gumming in the splicing through this system. It has various gears of different

sizes. The mechanism is assembled in a box. The
different switches, adjusting points and tension
denoting dials are set on the box.
» Web infeed system
The speed of main geared steel cylinder is controlled

by this system. It is fitted before entering the web into In multi-web offset printing machines, two or more
the printing nits. P.I.V. gear boxes are fitted in most webs are used for printing. If all the webs are to be
of the web-fed printing machines for each web. The printed in a single colour, the most distant web is fed
machines using three webs for printing at a time, are into the first printing unit, the second distant web is
equipped with three P.I.V. system separately. fed into the second unit and so on. For multi-colour
printing, the web enters the next unit and then reaches
The tension of the web is measured in the unit “Kg” upto the kite former.
per 15mm. An approximate average of maintaining of
tension in the web through out the machine is given as In the distance between the tension controlling unitand
under: printing unit, the web moves forwd on steel forwarding
roller. These rollers revolve on theirbearings through
1. Infeed unit tension 20-25 kg. per 15 mm the pulling action of the web. Generally, most of these
2. Printing unit tension 25-30 kg. per 15 mm rolles are covered with steel grained strips. In some
3. Delivery unit tension 30-35 kg. per 15 mm machines, these rollers have vaccum suction to stick
the web along it. It also maintains the even tension all
According to the above facts, the tension in the web through the web upto the delivery unit.
should be adjusted through the P.I.V. gear system to
prevent the tearing of the web. The tension and forwarding rollers may be lifted and
lowered upto some extent. The tension of web is
Some of the machines are equipped with even tension reduced and increased by this adjustment.
in all the webs. Speed of each unit is reduced or
increased by a adjusting wheel. The speed adjusting The steel grained rollers pull the web and prevent the
wheel and round plate are fitted in the outer wall of the set-off or unwanted markings in the printed web. One
unit to decide the tension of the web. The round plate or two grained or plain rollers are fitted there before
is marked from 0 to 80 numbers. A long needle is fitted entering the web into the printing unit. After printing,
in the center of it which shows tension per meter in the the web forwards on a number of grained rollers and
web. reaches the kite former.
» Web cleaner » Web transfer rollers
A steel strip like blade is fitted along with the rubber These rollers are also called turner bars. The
roller. The rollers set in contact with P.I.V. geated machines which print only one side of the web by its
steel roller. The distance of this blade from the rubber one unit, are generally equipped with web transfer
roller is so set that the web should slightly touch it. (turner) rollers. For printing the other side of the web,
The purpose of this blade is to clean the dust, dirt and it has to enter the next printing unit or the next set of
other unwanted materials sticking on the surface of printing cylinders of the same unit.
the web. Any unwanted material in the web will reach
upto the blanket and plate cylinders which may bladly The blanket to blanket system of printing machines
affect the quality of printing. has straight web feeding device. It does not need the
change of side of the web. The web forwards through
the grained rollers set on top of the printing units or
between the units.
» Photo-electric cell
The different types of web turner devices are given in
The tension controlling unit has a photo-electric the diagram.
cell fitted near the P.I.V. controlled steel roller. The
machine is stopped automatically if the tearing and
other disturbances occur in the web.
» Angular turner bars

In this system, the straight web is turned by right angle
on the steel bars. All the bars are fixed at 45º angle
instead of straight travel direction of the web. The side
of the web is turned through this process to print the
other side of the web. These angular turning bars are
set after each printing unit.
Besides it, some of the machines have blowing
device, the web is halfed and both the webs are turned
into the same path through turner bars. The webs
forward into the folding unit. This process requires two
turning bars to turn both webs into correct position.
» Printing Units
Principally, all functions of a printing unit of web-fed
machines are nearly similar to the sheet-fed machines,
excepting some of the parts which are designed
according to the path of web direction. Some of the
controls are also of different nature. Most of the web
offset machines are equipped with various controlling
switches fitted on the working side of each printing
unit. There are switches for stop, start, run, slow,
operating the dampeners, ink controlling and reverse
running.
Different designs of units of web-fed offset machines

may be divided into following groups for detailed study.
One side printing units

The older principle of printing units is one side printing.
are holes in the turner bars to create cushion of air

between the web and the turning bars. The air cushion
minimizes the friction of the web and prevents the
breaking and other troubles.
Some of the machines have slitter device after printing Such type of printing machines have been designed
and before reaching the web on the kite former. By this into 2 to 4 units. Each unit is made into separate

sections but joined with each other through continuous dampening systems. These machines have a drying
gearing systems. It is also called in line or open cylinder which helps in the drying of ink after an
system of printing units. impression and before turning the web.
Each unit has one plate cylinder, one impression In this way, the printed ink of one side is perfectly dried
cylinder and one blanket cylinder as main parts. before turning. This is necessary because the wet ink
Besides it, each unit consists of one inking and of the web may create smudging or set-off due to the
dampening system as equal. Printing by magnetic friction with the turning bars. Satellite system of web-
inks, carton printing and moisture-set inks may be fed offset printing units has a device to disconnect
done on these machines. Continuous stationery works any unit of blanket and plate cylinder. It facilitates
in perfect delivery may also be done on such type of the requirement of selection of multi-colour or single
machines. colour jobs.
One side of the web is printed by one unit and the web
is turned through the turner bars. After changing the
printed side, the web enters in to the other unit and is
» Main Parts of Printing Unit
printed on the other side. For multi-colour printing on Printing unit of web-fed offset machine consists of
the same side, the web does not turn but it may be set three main parts i.e. plate cylinder, blanket cylinder
to go ahead straight to the next unit. and impression cylinder. These three main parts of
a printing unit are also equipped with a number of
Blanket to blanket printing units devices for different purposes. Detailed description of
all the main part is given as follows.
Such type of printing machines are also called both
side printing system of web offset printing unit. The
web forwards straight into all printing units.
Plate cylinder
These machines do not have impression cylinders.

Only two plate and two blanket cylinders The plate cylinder of web offset machines hold
are fitted in one unit. The web passes between two printing plate. The driving mechinism and bearers
blanket cylinders and prints both sides of it in one etc. are almost similar to the sheet-fed machines. The
insertion. In this principle, and extra plate cylinder can difference is in the gap of both cylinders. The web
be set to print spot colour. Generally, heat-set inks are offset machine’s plate cylinder has a very small gap
used in these machines. Inking, dampening and web only just to fit the plate clamps at its both edges. It has
forwarding systems are almost similar to the others. plate tension screws and tightening bolts. Cylinder gap
in web machines is nearly three cm.
The gap of the plate cylinder causes white margin

Satellite system of units
on the head and tail of printed pages after each
It is named satellite system of printing units due to its impression. Both the longer edges of plate are
design of path of web. The web is printed through half screwed with two flat clamping of the plate is done out
of the circumference of the impression cylinder. side the machine. After that both the clamps along with
the plate are set into the cylinder gap and tightened
In the next round, the web is printed through the other with the bolts.
half of the circumference of the impression cylinder.
After printing one time, the web passes through the In some of the machines, the plate does not need
turner bars and the side of the web is changed. After any bar or strip. Only the edges of the plateb are bent
that the web enters the printing unit for printing on and fixed into the cylinder gap. The plate edges are
its other side. Such type of web-fed offset printing tightened and stretched as usual. A long steel strip
machines are designed with only one large impression like a blade is fitted just near the plate cylinder. This
cylinder. Two, three or four blanket cylinder are fitted plate is a safety device to prevent the operator’s hand
around the common impression cylinder. from accident when dampening or gumming, while the
machine is running.
All the blanket cyliners are set after some distance
from each other but all the them are set in contact There is a device for the plate cylinder in lateral and
the common impression cylinder. All the blanket peripheral direction. It has two handles or levers
cylinders are equipped with plate cylinder, inking and for shifting the state of plate cylinder. Some of the
machines have line marks around the projected avoid creasing, when it is fitted on the blanket cylinder.
shaft of the plate cylinder. These marks are very
successful for registration purpose. The line marks One edge of the blanket is clamped and tightened in
are considered for shifting the cylinder into lateral and the gap and then the machine is slowly run. When
peripheral direction. the cylinder gap comes back in position, the other
edge is also clamped. In the end, the blanket clamp
Some of the latest machines have a device to push is tightened and tensioned by the screws and bolts.
or pull only towards the operating side of the plate Generally, most of the bolts are tightened by “L”
cylinders. The one side tilting of the plate cylinder is wrench.
made to equalize the margin of the plate edge. After
correcting the edge of the plate, registration is done as Blanket to blanket web printing machines have two
usual. blanket cylinders in one unit. Both are set in contact
with each other. Both the cylinders revolve through
Contact of plate cylinder with the blanket cylinder is their gears. The web passes through both the blanket
made through a switch. The function of it depends cylinders. In this way, both sides of the web are printed
on the air pressure of the compressor. This device at a time. The surfaces of both the blanket cylinders
helps the insertion of the web without its receiving any receive impression by the plate cylinder. Then the
impression from the plate cylinder. impression of the blanket cylinder is transferred on
both sides of the web at a time.
Besides it, some of the machines do not require
to throw off the plate cylinder. Only inking and Impression cylinder
dampening systems are thrown-off. In this way that
One side printing machines are equipped with the
plate cylinders are not supplied with water and ink.
impression cylinders in each unit. In this way, such
The web inserted into the printing unit goes forward to
type of web printing machines are equipped with all
the next unit without printing.
three (Plate, blanket and impression) cylinders similar
to the sheet-fed machines.
Plate edge bending
The web passes between the blanket and impression
For bending both the edges of the plate, an ordinary cylinder to receive print only one side of it by one unit.
manually operated machine is used. It is equipped Such type of web machines have four units to print
with a steel table and a flat part on which the bending both side of the webs of two reels. The impression
plate is placed. Two screws on one side are raised are cylinder is a plane steel cylinder having driving gear
used as a guide for definite margin in the plate. The on its one side. The cylinder revolves along with the
crews are removed and both side pressing handles blanket cylinder due to the meshing of this gears.
are dropped. By this, one edge of the plate is pressed
and bent. Both edges of the plate are bent as required The impression cylinder may also be called pressure
in the same way. cylinder because its purpose is only to exert pressure
on the blanket cylinder. Due to its pressure, the
Generally, the printing plates for web machines reverse image of the blanket cylinder made by
does not require to be punched as in the sheet-fed the plate cylinder is transferred on the web. The
machines. The excess length of the plate and the mechanism of bearers, gears and other parts are
corner edge are also cut by the bending machine. generally similar to the sheet-fed printing machines.
The impression cylinder does not need gap like the
Blanket cylinder plate the blanket cylinders.
The mechanical features of the blanket cylinder are

almost similar to the plate cylinder. Its gap, driving
gears and bearers have this same purpose. » Inking System
The inking system of web-fed offset printing machine
The blanket is cut into a definite size. The larger edges is also similar to the sheet-fed machines. Ink duct,
are punched and then it is placed between the gap of vibrator, grinders, distributors and all the plate inking
the clamps. Then the clamping strips are screwed on rollers are similar to the similar to the sheet-fed
both longer edges of the blanket outside the machine. machines in principle and function. Only the number
The screws are provided at 2.5 cm distance nearly. of rollers differ from the sheet-fed machines. Web-
The blanket is cut slanting under all four corners to fed machines are equipped with a greater number of
rollers for all inking functions. Due to very fast speed covers, to stand and to sit for working between the
of web-fed machines, they require fast distribution of printing units. The operator stands on the steel cover
ink. to adjust and control the ink duct, dampening unit and
preparation of plate and blanket cylinder. In one side
Therefore the inking rollers, riders and oscillators are of the printing units, the web path is made under these
made of different diameters in web-fed machines. covers to feed one unit to other. These covers may
Even then the oscillating distance of all the oscillators also be opened for inserting the web from one unit to
differs from each other. The uneven oscillating other.
distance causes fine and fast distribution of ink.
Some of the machines have various set of grained
In web-fed machines, the ink duct fountain roller steel rollers to pull and forward the web between
revolves continuously. The vibrator touchesthe duct printing units. The grained steel rollers do not create
roller according to the required ink for printing only set-off due to the wet printed ink. The grained flexible
one impression. Automatic clearing device is fitted with steel strips and fitted on the roller which revolve on
each set of printing unit. It can be removed from the ball bearings.
machine and again fitted very easily when required.
The latest web-fed offset printing machines have

» Dampening system
automatic ink control devices. The “Inkatron” and

“idotron” etc. attachment are fitted of automatic control The necessity of moisture on the non-image areas of
of the ink density. the printing plate, is an obvious necessity similar to
the sheet-fed offset printing machines. In web offset
Each inking unit has safety guards to avoid the web printing machines, the dampening system consists
from touching the inking rollers. In speedy and latest of a water fountain as fountain solution tray. The
web offset machines, the setting screws of the ink duct dampening solution remains at a constant level in the
fountain are fitted in a half round cover. Each screw is fountain. The water in the fountain comes through a
made as in the shape of a knob. Each knob is fitted in pump system. In the side opposite to the operator,
a cut part. The side strip of the knobs marked from 1 there are small water tanks fitted with each printing
to 10 numbers to locate for adjusting the ink flow. The unit.
blanket to blanket machines are equipped with two
inking systems each set of printing cylinders. Each A thick rubber tube is connected between the fountain
plate cylinder requires one complete set of inking and water tank. The water (dampening solution)
system similar to the sheet-fed machines. of the tank is pumped to the fountain by the pump
system. The working side of each printing unit has
a separate operating pump, its motor, switches and
other mechanism. Each one side printing unit has one
» Chilling device
dampening system. Two dampening systems are fitted
Heat-set inks need chilling device. A steel roller is in both side blanket to blanket printing units.
provided for this purpose. Each printing unit has this
roller. There is one pipe for entering the chilled water A fountain with a roller, distributors and plate
into the steel roller. Another pipe is there to drain the dampeners are the main parts of the dampening
water. In this way, the chilled water circulates in the system. The system does not have a vibrator, instead
roller and the surface of the roller is chilled. of it, the fountain round. Both the ridges of the roller
touch the distributor in turn. Such fountain roller is
Generally, the chilling steel roller is of oscillating type. used as vibrator in this process.
These are controlled similarly to the inking rollers.
The chilled roller prevents the drying of ink on the The fountain roller of web offset machines is made of
inking when the machine is stopped for mark ready rubber cotton tape is wrapped on the whole rubber
pruposes. surface and sewn at both ends. The cotton tape
absorbs the water and when its ridge touches the
distributor, water is supplied automatically. In this
Between the printing units way, two ridge of a fountain roller supply water to the
printing plate continuously.
Besides all the above designs of web-fed printing

The dampening solution is provided in a storage tank
machines, there is a small platform, made of steel
from where it is supplied to the fountain by means of a manual switch fitted near the dampening system.
pump system. An exit pipe in the fountain continuously Some of the latest machines have automatic control
drains-off the solution back to the storage tank. In this switches for increasing and reducing the revolutions
way, fresh solution is always available in the fountain of the dampening brush. The switches are set in the
and is maintained at the desired level. automatic control box.
To reduce and increase the quantity of dampening

water, the revolution of the fountain roller are reduced
or increased by two different switches. There is a
» Delivery operations
small separate motor to operate all the functions of the

dampening system. When all the webs have passed through the printing
units, all of them forward on the grained steel rollers,
and reach the delivery part of the machine. The
Spray fountain system advantages of grained forwarding rollers are:
The latest and very fast web offset machines have • To avoid set-off in the web due to the wet printed
spray fountain system. It has a fountain or tray to store ink.
the dampening solution. The fountain water remains • To help in pulling and forwarding the web at an
at constant level. A long round brush is fitted on the even speed.
fountain steel roller. When the fountain roller revolves, • To avoid air gap in the moving web which may
the water applied on its surface, is taken by the hairs cause creasing defect.
of the round brush. Hence the brush applies water on
the distributing steel rollers. The fountain roller and The next operation on the printed web is to set and dry
other distributing steel rollers are chromium plated. the newly printed ink to prevent set-off.
Chromium is water receptive. Hence the train of
dampening system remains in correct and continuous
process.
» Ink drying unit
In this process, the brush is set at slight pressure on
the fountain steel roller. Therefore the hairs of the Generally, the sheet-fed offset printing machines, do
brush spray water on the fountain roller surface. The not have any extra attachment for drying the printed
sprayed drops of water moisten the steel distributor. ink because the inks used in sheet-fed machines dry
Various steel distributors are set in contact with the by cold-duct process. Besides it, most of the web-fed
plate dampening rollers and thus the plate is damped offset printing machines have a drying chamber as
properly. an extra attachment. Some machines have a device
for blowing hot air on the printed web for setting and
The fountain has a cover to increase and reduce the drying the ink.
quantity of water. The fountain cover has various
adjustable strips in the fore edge. Each strip may be The latest high speed machines have a large drying
pushed forward and pulled back through its separate chamber, this chamber has a device to blow hot air on
knob. The strips are pushed to reduce or stop the both sides of the printed web. For creating hot blowing
sprayed water from reaching the steel distributor. The air into the drying chamber, diesel or liquid petroleum
excess sprayed water is stopped by the cover strips gas (cooking gas) is continuously burnt into its firing
and returns back into the fountain. Each pushed strip box. The firing box is joined with the pipes coming
affects only the front surface which is about one inch from the compressor unit.
wide.
The drying chamber has various pipes joined with the
Some of the machines are so equipped that the firing box. These pipes have holes through which the
hairs of this type of fountain, spray water directly to hot air coming from the firing box blows continuously,
the plate of the plate of the plate cylinder but this when the drying chamber is closed, the air blowing
does not work satisfactorily. General reduction and pipes on the upper and lower side blow hot air.
increase of water all over the fountain, is adjusted by
increasing or reducing the revolutions of the brush. The hot air blowing pipes are set about 4 mm away
The speed of its revolution is controlled through a from both sides of the web. The hot air blowing

pressure form both sides of the web should be the cylinder is highly glazed. The chilled drops of
perfectly equal. The uneven pressure may cause water vapour on the glazed cylinder normalize the
uneven drying of printed ink or the web to be heated web by this process. The cold water enters
damaged. The hot air generating box has two main the cylinder towards the operating side and drains out
pipes. Each pipe has a stop cock with a pressure towards the gear (rear) side of the machine.
measuring gauge. The quantity of hot blowing air and
its pressure may be increased or decreased through Such machines are equipped with separate air
the key of the stop cock. conditioning plant. The air conditioning plant is
maintained by the engineering department, huge and
large steel pipe are carried up to the different chilling
The temperature units of the web offset printing machine. The steel
pipes are joined with all the main pipes. Stop cocks
are fitted at various places to increase and reduce
The temperature of the heating chamber is maintained
the chilling capacity. Normally the chilling unit is
at 170º to 210º celcious. The temperature is reduced
maintained at a temperature of 15 to 15.5ºC.
for thin ink films and increased for thick films.
Consideration should also be given for the coverage
of ink on paper. Excess temperature may damage the
printed paper. Low temperature will not dry the printed » Silicon applicating unit
ink sufficiently.
This unit of the machine is fitted just after the chilling
For operating the heat drying chamber, the control rolls. There are two fountains each fitted with a steel
console has different switches and adjustments. roller similar to the water (dampening) fountain. The
Opening of the heating chamber for inserting and fountain is filled automatically through a pump device.
passing the web through it and all other controls are
adjusted by the switches of the control console. Nearly half of the steel roller is always immersed in
the silicone solution. Both the sides of the web come
The pressure of hot air on both sides of the web is into contact
generally maintained at 10-12 kg per square cm. It with both the
may be changed according to the bursting strength of steel rollers
paper and the structure of fibers of the web. of the silicone
fountain. In this
way a layer
» Chilling unit of silicone
solution is
applied on both
After passing the printed web through the heating
sides of the
chamber, it is necessary to cool it. The surface of the
printed web.
web, structure of the fibers and the newly printed ink
The surface
densit yare affected when the web is passed through
of web and
the heating chamber. All these factors of the web
its fibers are
become normal when the web is passed through the
changed due
chilling unit.
to the heat
and chill treatment. The layer of silicone makes the
There are two large cylinders for chilling the web.
web surface glazed. The web surface on both side
Both cylinders are set away from each other. One side
looks as polished. This unit is mostly used in web
of the web passes on contact with one cylinder and
offset machines which are specially made for printing
the other side with the second cylinder. There are six
magazines and periodicals.
rubber wheels set for pressing the web against the
chilling cylinder to ensure perfect contact of the web
The silicone solution is available in plastic cans. This
with chilling cylinders.
solution is of milky white colour. The solution supplied
by the manufacturer is mixed with water in the ratio of
Droplets of water are formed on the surface of the
1 : 1. The proportion of water depends on the surface
chilling cylinders. Due to condensation of atmospheric
of the web. Rough surface of paper requires less
moisture on the cold surface of the cylinder through
dilution with water while smooth surface requires less
which ice cold water is circulated. Outer surface of
silicone. to that which is fitted before the web enters the printing
unit. It is interesting to know that the speed of the web
does not remain the same through out the machine.
» Delivery Unit The principle of controlling the tension of the web
through out the machine is that, the speed of the web
When all the webs have been subjected to the remains higher at the reel shaft, slower before entering
processes described earlier, to the folding unit. This the printing units, higher after printing units and again
unit is also called the finishing unit of the machine slower before entering the folding unit.
because the web is converted into the form of book
through this unit. This unit has more complicated The higher working speed of web forwarding rollers
mechanisms and is equipped with different and cylinders is derived through the main driving gears
attachments. Various operations of folding unit may be of the machine. The P.I.V. gear machanism reduces
classified as under for detailed study. the web speed. By this mechanism, the required
tension of the web is controlled in this way described
as above.
Forwarding cylinders
Some of the latest web machines have electronic
controlling box to adjust the P.I.V. gear system.
» Former
Generally, this part is called kite former. However,

the design of this part is not the same as it is named.
It is of the shape of a triangle and it forms the first
fold in the web. It has two thick steel pipes in V shap.
In the upper open part, there is a steel forwarding
roller. Three guide wheels are set on this roller. All the
overlapped webs forward on the steel roller. The guide
wheels are set on the non-image areas of the printed
web. They should not be set on the image areas to
avoid smudging of the newly printed ink.
Both the pipes of the ‘V’ shaped part, have holes for
sucking air. The web remains fully in contact with the
thick pipes and ensures the correct first half fold of the
web. When the web reached the bottom pointed edge
After printing and post treatments, each web is
of the V part, it is converted into first fold.
forwarded on separate steel cylinders and rollers. One
or more plane steel cylinders are fitted in some of the
The “V” shapped thick pipes of first folder (kite former)
machines. Some machines have grained cylinders.
are covered with a steel sheet, on which the web
The forwarding cylinders and rollers pull the webs
slides easily. Some of the machines have half or
from the printing units and forward them towards the
quarter or three fourth steel covering on the former.
folding unit.
Some of the machine do not have any steel covering
on this former (folder).
P.I.V. gear mechanism
It is a mechanism which controls the tension of the

web before it is fed into the folding unit. Here the
web needs greater pulling tension. Therefore this
gear mechanism increases the speed of the web
by increasing the speed of any one cylinder. The
driving gear of this cylinder is driven by the P.I.V. gear
mechanism. The function of this mechanism is similar

Adjustment of the former the left direction and enters a set of two small
cylinders. These cylinders are covered with grained
Generally, the first former does not need any
steel strips in some machines. But others have plain
adjustment in normal routine jobs. It only needs
(grainless) cylinders. The control of margin and pulling
adjustment when the width of the web is increased or
action in the folded web is made through the rubber
reduced. When the size of the web is changed, a large
wheels in plain cylinders. These wheels are two or four
screwed rod is tightened or loosened. The bottom
in number and set with pressure on the folded web.
edge of this part is pulled back or pushed forward
by loosening or tightening the screwed rod. This
The principle obtaining third fold through the cylinders,
adjustment is needed to set the correct half fold of the
is known as buckle folding system. Besides this, some
web and easy entering into the next folding cylinders
of the machines are also equipped with knife folding
and rollers.
systems, which has been described in the fourth folder
unit.
Centre indicator
There is a steel strip nearly 2.5 cm wide. It is set in Cutting device
front of center of white space in the printed web. The
Each type of web printing machines has a cylinder for
center indicator and the central guide wheel, set on
cutting the folded web into the size of a book. There
the upper forwarding steel roller are adjusted in an
are one or two cutting blades fitted in the length of the
alignment. Such adjustment ensures the correct first
cylinder. The cutting cylinder has one blade which cuts
half fold of the printed web.
one section in its one revolution. The cylinder having
two blades, cuts two sections in its one revolution.
Pulling rollers
Some of the old web offset printing machines are In front of the cutting cylinders, each machine has
only equipped with these rollers. These rollers are another cylinder parallel to it. This cylinder has a
also called draw rollers. One or two set of two rollers wooden strip along its length which remains at the
are there in the folding unit. The pulling rollers are back of the web and supports the cutting blade of the
wrapped with a grained steel strip. Due to it the web cutting cylinder. Due to the wooden strip, the edge of
is pulled and makes the first fold very correctly. The the blade does not get damaged.
grained surface of the rollers pulls the web in pressure
but it does not affect the undried printed ink on the Some machines do not have cutting blades. Instead of
web. Pulling rollers are meant to ensure correct that there is a stretch system of cutting. When the web
feeding of the first folded web between then next remains at heavy tension. The projected edge of the
folding cylinders. cylinder cuts the web sharply.
After this, all the folded sections are dropped in

Folding Unit overlapped state on the continuous moving tapes.
The sections are collected by hand in some of the
When all the webs have been printed on both sides
machines and placed on the table. Generally, two
and passed through the first former, they have to
to four persons are needed at delivery part of the
enter the second folding unit. Generally, the complete
machine for collecting, jogging and placing the printed
folding unit is made glass covered and various safety
sections.
guards are fitted there.
Section counter
Second folder
Section counter machine is also fitted at the folding
The web now enters two rollers. These rollers
part, through which the number of printed copies
are covered with grained steel strip. The grained
becomes known. Slow speed machines have single
rollers pull the web and make the second half fold.
section counter but the high speed machines have two
Newspaper printing machines have only two folding
section counters. For example, if the counter shows
units but the magazines and book printing machines
the number 000100, it means that 200 copies have
are equipped with more than two folding devices
been printed.
(units).
In latest web machines, the counter fitted at the folding

Third folder
part, through which the number of printed copies
For third folding, the twice folded web turns towards becomes known. Slow speed machines have single
section counter but the high speed machines have two Ancillary Operations by Delivery Unit
section counters. The web offset machine made for stationery work are
equipped with numbering, perforating stitching and
cutting devices.
Fourth folder
Numbering
For numbering, cylindrical numbering machines are
provided, through which numbers in a sequence are
printed on the web wherever required. Number printing
machines are fitted in the grooves of the cylinder.
Number printing machines are fitted in the grooves
of the cylinder. Inking system is fitted along with the
cylinder. All the numbering machines are inked in each
turn of the cylinder and print numbers on the web in
Fourth fold required only in book printing but very the usual manner.
rarely. Generally, in the machines having fourth folding
unit, it is not utilized regularly. There fore the fourth Perforating
folding unit is disconnected from the third folding unit.
For perfotating a cylinder holds serrated steel strips at
The fourth attachment is connected to the third folding
various distances. When the web enters the cylinder,
unit by revolving a wheel through hands. The cut
the serrated teeth of steel strips perforate the web.
sections are forwarded on the tapes and guided by
The perforations in the paper are done for easy
various wheels.
tearing. Receipt books etc. need this operation.
The section strikes a stopper and at the same time,
a knife presses it exactly in the center of the section.
The blade of the knife pushes the section between two
steel rollers and the fourth fold is made. There are also
front and side lays (stoppers) to adjust the center and
side margins of the section.
Section separator
After fourth folding, all the sections are dropped one
by one within the steel fingers of the section separator.
The separator remains in revolving state and it
turns the sections on the moving belts one by one.
Here also, the delivery of printed sections is done in
overlapping position.
Section gathering
In old machines, the delivery men used to collect the
sections in lots by hands. For this purpose, about 3 to
4 persons were employed. In modern machines, there
is an automatic gathering divice.
The moving and overlapped sections on forwarding

tapes, are jogged from both sides. After this, all the
sections forward between two tapes and collect at a
table one by one. Here the springed stopper is pushed
continuously by the pressure of increasing number of
sections. The jogged sections are taken out by hand
and sent to binding department for bounding.

plates, inserts or other advertising products need not
be a regular part of the book. They have to be cut into
sheets after printing.
Some web offset machines do not have sheeting

(sheeter) device as an ancillary attachment Therefore,
the printed web is taken out and set on a sheeter
(sheeting machine) by which the web is converted into
sheets.
Stitching
Stitching divice is the last operation of the delivery
unit. Here, each book is trimmed at the edges. The
sequence of trimming is fore-edge, tail and finally the
head. Sharp edged blades are fitted for trimming the
edges of the books.
Lastly the printed and bound books or magazines are

placed on the conveying tapes in overlapping position
and carried up to the dispatch department.
Slitting device
The cutting of the web in its longer side into one or
more parts is called slitting. Some of the web printing
machines are equipped with slitting device in the
delivery part. Slitting wheels, having sharp edged
blades are fitted in a rod. The wheels are set on the
web at required distances. The sharp edge of the
wheels slit the running web continuously.
The slitted parts of the printed web are again wrapped

into reel. After that, the unprinted slitted reels may
be used for printing another impression on any small
sized machine. It is printed, it may be cut into sheets
and used as inserts or plates.
Sheeting device
Cutting of web along the width or converting the web
into sheets, is called sheeting. Some of the machines
XTRA NOTES
are also equipped with sheeting device. The posters,

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WEB OFFSET TECHNOLOGY

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

• These can provide even faster changeovers as a

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

» AUTOMATIC PASTERS ZERO PASTING » AUTOMATIC PASTERS FLYING PASTER

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

FLYING PASTER • We can minimize its efforts by moving the plate

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

» VERTICAL PIVOTING DANCER

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

loadcells. • The foregoing provides the necessary information for

» RESULTANT FORCE FACTORS

TENSION CONTROL SYSTEMS Normal water,

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 10

• In the event of web breaks during the run there will

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 11

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 14

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 15

• On each end of the plate cylinder is a bearer which is

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 16

The Impression Cylinder

• The impression unit carries the substrate into the

• The conventional blanket will bulge at the printing nip

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 17

• Smash resistance which translates into longer blanket

» • Blankets are manufactured in three types of

surfaces: • With an compressible blanket, slight bulges do form,

» The face of the blanket should be

• free from pinholes, and blemishes which could affect

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 18

• Exposing an Offset plate to produce a usable plate for

• There are seven major types of lithographic plates

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 20

The aluminum-based plate contains the light-sensitive

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 21

Plates for laser imaging are coated on electrograined

MAN Dicoweb or the CTPress (Direct

CYLINDER DRIVES • More elaborate gear designs can include curved

• Straight cut gear teeth are in complete contact for only

• A better gear design is to cut the teeth so that the

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 25

» WEB COMPENSATOR REGISTER CONTROL

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 26

• The compressible carcase, introduced in the 1950’s

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 27

• Blankets are normally delivered rolled in tubes but are

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 28

wash, washing method and mounting procedure.

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 29

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 32

» Brush dampening system • Isopropyl alcohol is being used in fountain solutions

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 33

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 34

A fine emulsion of ink and water is then developed on

Web Offset Technology Class Notes 36

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes

Web Offset Technology Class Notes