A virtual tour of Pantone Printing Press

[gordo]

In case you missed it...

In this webinar you will get an exclusive look behind the scenes of how the Pantone Formula Guide is made, including what it takes to print 2,161 spot colors on a 28-fountain offset printing press designed specifically for printing Pantone guides and books.
Might be interesting ;-)

Here's a link to register:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5138698838546139661?source=PrintingImpressions

 

[agmfan3]

I'm going to try to watch. Is there anywhere online that shows the press?

 

[gordo]

I'm going to try to watch. Is there anywhere online that shows the press?

There’s a quick view buried in this video

When I saw the press many years ago it was a dry offset press - cue the groaning.

 

[Deleted member 16349]

There’s a quick view buried in this video

When I saw the press many years ago it was a dry offset press - cue the groaning.

Dry offset or letter press, suffer from the same problem as lithographic offset with respect to the inconsistency of ink feed. Water just makes the situation worse. The Pantone press might benefit by fixing the ink feed.

For me the term Dry Offset is used for the presses that have ink fountains, roller trains that ink the raised plate and transfer onto a common blanket. I am not sure if calling what Pantone does is Dry Offset. Are they printing a single colour via raised plate to a blanket and then to the substrate. I think of this as letter press printing. Terms seem to have variable meanings at times.

What was flexo called before anilox rollers were used? Was it called letter press?

Dry offset is used for can and container printing. It must use all spot colours.

Looking forward to seeing the new video.

 

[gordo]

I believe it was a waterless press. I was there for an unrelated FM screaming project so I wasn’t paying much attention to that press :-(

 

[old guy]

Dry Offset transfers from plate/image to a blanket. letterpress prints from the image directly to the substrate.

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Gentlemen,

The Pantone KBA Rapida 105



Regards, Alois

 

[agmfan3]

THANKS A MILLION!!!!!

 

[jwheeler]

@gordo thanks for sharing this video! I'm going to share with my students. It's awesome to see their unique printing press!

 

[gordo]

The presentation was a very high level overview. I asked a few questions which were not answered during the presentation and so asked the presenter directly - [email protected] the Senior Product Manager - and await her response. Here are the questions and will post the results when I receive them:

• If the press a waterless offset press or conventional offset press using fountain solution?
• What metric do you use to confirm that a color is within tolerance? I.e. Delta E? CIE 1976? CIE 2000? etc..
• Is the measurement method M0 or M1?
• What is your tolerance in the swatch books for deviation from the target?
• Is the tolerance the same for all colors or is it tighter for some colors than others.
• Is the OBA content of the coated papers the same for the different swatch book systems?
• Is the OBA content of the uncoated papers the same for the different swatch book systems?

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Gordo and fellow Lithographers,

I have this "thought" at the back of my mind, that they - print from "Dycril" plates, so in effect "Dry Offset"

BUT I could be wrong !!

Regards, Alois


1) If they are using Conventional Offset - the problem would be Ink "Feed-back" into the Dampening Roller Train.

2) Using "Split Ducts" would mean the Inking Roller Train would need the rollers cut to match.

 

[DoingBetter]

Nice vid Gorgo, many thanks