Do I need offset experience to run a Kodak Nexpress?

[cityismine]

Just curious, do I need offset experience to run a Kodak Nexpress. Recently I've been offered a job at company as a nexpress operator. But the guy training me, recommended to the manager I get some experience with colors. So now I have to spent 2 weeks training on a sheet feeder press before manning the Nexpress.

To me this sound bogus. Either the nexpress prints colors right, or it needs calibration. I don't think you can manually lighten or darken colors in laser machines like you do in offset machines, so it doesn't make sense to me. BTW I'm not a complete rookie to printing, I have experience operating smaller laser machines, doing prepress and databases.

So I'd just like to know what the industry pros think. Will my experience with colors on a offset press actually help me on the nexpress?

Edited by: Vince Mohan on May 29, 2008 10:33 PM

[oxburger]

It's not just about whether it prints colors right and/or needs calibrated. We have a Xerox iGen and we have a former 6 color press operator running it. Just like any press, you need to know how to adjust controls through the press run to get the colors where they need to be and our iGen has the ability to control colors throughout. Especially when you get client supplied pdf's that have 4 color images that are crappy to begin with (with your prepress experience, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about) and need adjusting. It's also especially helpful if we're printing on the iGen and need to match a previous sample, a spot color that was printed on a regular press, etc. If I were you, I would jump at the chance to learn anything I could about printing on a press before taking on your new job of running the nexpress. It will only help you in the long run and improve your standing when offered more responsibilty in the future.

[Vee]

In my experience, overseeing digital print operations on an iGen; the operators who were former offset or press operators were far better than those without press experience. It's still a "press" and you are still required to see the sheet and job for all of those things a pressman looks for and understands.

[cityismine]

So is running an offset printer really a prerequisite for running laser machines like nexpress, igen, etc...? Do all companies require it?

I just don't get it. You can't lighten and darken the CMYK colors like you do in offset machines. If the laser machine doesn't print colors properly then it either needs maintenance or calibration. That's how it is in some of the smaller Konica and Canons that I've run.

I really don't want to spend 1-2 months running a sheet-fed offset printer. The chemicals will probably make me sick. I'm sure there's another way they can find for me to learn the CMYK colors, maybe give me a project or a test.

Edited by: Vince Mohan on Jun 1, 2008 2:38 AM

[margadri]

You have some control over the colour output in Nexpress but has nothing to do with Offset presses, more like Photoshop curves

We have two Nexpress and they are run by platemakers!
It sound odd but they had the training like you did and never seen a digital press before or even better, never operated a rip apart from the Screen to go in Brisque and Final Output in Prinergy.
They have our prepress support in case of colour corrections or rip problems but that is it.
They spend two hours every day cleaning and calibrating the buggers and the rest of their shift printing and checking VDX files.
Digital has nothing to do with Offset.
It still suck, so no expectations to be like Offset so far!
Don't worry
Just go for it and you will be fine

Edited by: Adriano on Jun 1, 2008 10:37 PM

Edited by: Adriano on Jun 2, 2008 9:01 PM