The second session of Virtual FORUM 2020 was Press Optimization: Straight from the Mouths of Printers. The April 22 session was chaired by Bart Wright of Interflex Group and Laura Wright of CSW Inc.
The session began with Bart and Laura explaining the goal of optimization—to identify the best possible combination or print variables to achieve design requirements—before leading a short discussion the difference between optimization and characterization.
Scott McLeod of TC Transcontinental Robbie was the first speaker. He discussed where to begin when it comes to optimization, noting the importance of looking at the current status of your own operation. For optimization to be successful, there needs to be a solid foundation to work from and a methodical path forward. The most necessary part of the operation, McLeod pointed out, is regular operator press maintenance. In addition, when it comes to designing an optimization program, he noted to make sure there is a company-wide idea of what success looks like. “Design the optimization program around a defined end result,” McLeod explained.
Kirk Birchler of Berry Global discussed optimizing substrates and inks. After explaining what packaging substrates do, he looked at other considerations when starting to optimize, including cost, sustainability, inks’ and substrates’ regulatory approvals, and ink usage. Birchler said that optimization is also a good time to look at what challenges you may have when preparing substrates to accept ink. “Once the substrate is established, it’s also important to look at ways to optimize the feeding through the press for maximum speed and efficiency,” he added.
Ron Henderson, also of Berry Global, covered plates and screening technologies. He explained that once plate materials are chosen, processing options are to be looked at next. There are benefits to flat top and digital round top dot, but the differences have “tightened up significantly” with recent imaging equipment capabilities, Henderson noted. On the topic of screening technologies, he pointed to the wide range of options available today before conceding that it’s impossible to try them all. “Keep your options to a manageable amount, for the sake of the data collection and your sanity,” he cautioned.
The session finished with newly minted FTA President’s Award recipient Kim Madigan of Smyth Companies, who focused on how to get support from employees when optimizing the process. She explained that receiving support from a team means clearly communicating the process to be reviewed, and that team members currently performing a task should be involved in reviewing and developing any newly documented process for that task. Madigan suggested to start with a written data collection system and optimize over time to a digital reading of the data. “The process should always evolve with you as new technology comes into your shop,” she said.