Digital Dish: April 2019

Each dish features a new nugget to chew on and fuel your digital cravings. In continuation from last month's dish about making the decision to move from conventional to digital printing equipment, this month's edition identifies steps to take to maximize the performance of your new digital press. 

1. Preparation

The first step is to work with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the new digital press to get it set up and ready for operation. During this preparation period, press operators should be trained so they are ready and able to run the equipment. This will allow them to jump start jobs for the print shop and generate a revenue stream to cover the costs of the set up.

2. Education

Operator training can be accomplished either on-site with a trainer from the OEM or off-site at the location where the OEM showcases its presses. Generally, all OEMs have these types of facilities throughout the United States to accommodate operator training, which should encompass all aspects of operating the press, from press set up and linearization of papers to color management and troubleshooting. Upon completion, operators should feel confident in moving more business off present equipment and on to the digital equipment.

3. Selection

Lastly, it's important to examine which papers are acceptable to run through your new digital press. Each press can differ on the types of substrates suitable for that particular equipment, and each OEM has current lists of substrates that have been trialed at its facilities. As a starting point for paper selection, ask the OEM what their customer relations centers use as house sheets. Once you have chosen, try running jobs on both the old and new equipment to show your customer the comparable and impressive print performance of the new digital press. 

Tune Into Episode 1!

Episode 1 of Master Class, our new digital printing video series, looks at the difference between inkjet inks and Indigo inks and answers your burning questions like "is it really important to use a treated sheet for inkjet printing?" 

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If you have a topic you are hungry to learn more about, please email us at DYK@sylvamo.com!