Consultants of the past to advise for the future?

[Deleted member 16349]

Here is an interesting collective of well known print industry experts. A lot of industry experience has been collected and is being made available as advisors to the industry. An article in Graphic Arts Magazine is introducing this group called the Directory of Graphic Communication Advisors. I am sure this will also be announced in other media sites soon.

See the article.

https://graphicartsmag.com/news/201...group-formed-industrys-knowledgeable-leaders/

There is a very wide range of experience with in this group and I am sure that they must be able to help some operations with the business and technologies of printing.

Do we really need a lot more consultants that are dealing with past methods of solving operational problems? Of course at this time some are needed, but what I would of course like to see is that problems are fundamentally solved and designed out of the processes. I don't really see that this group has the capability to do that. I suspect that collectively this group does not have the knowledge to modify the precesses in order to improve performance beyond the present capability in any predictable way. The group should be helpful with past practice issues but I doubt they can help much with leading the industry into the future, where the real competitive pressures will increase.

Anyhow, have a look at the advisors. There may be one that can help you.

 

[gordo]

There is a very wide range of experience with in this group and I am sure that they must be able to help some operations with the business and technologies of printing.

Maybe true of some but maybe not of all.

 

[Deleted member 16349]

and

Maybe true of some but maybe not of all.

Well, I was trying to be nice.

I know that one of these experts had gone over to Europe to advise a press manufacturer. One of the problems was starvation ghosting. He told them that they had starvation ghosting but it was within industry norms. Now that is great advice. Your press does not print well but that's OK.

My view is that any visible variation is not OK. It is a problem that needs correcting.

I was there later to give a seminar on press design related to consistent print and starvation ghosting was one of the topics. I described the cause and showed them how to analyze the roller train and how to design a roller train to eliminate it as a problem.

It has been so easy for the experts to accept variation. They just say it is inherent or normal instead of something that needs to be designed out of the process. They make print tolerances based on normal variation in the industry instead of setting tolerances to provide a target for consistent output. No other industry does that. Other industries develop tolerances for processes that will result in acceptable product. If a process and supplier can't meet the tolerance, then they MUST improve the process or not supply.

Make the process so good that there is no need for consultants.

 

[cementary]

Now that is great advice. Your press does not print well but that's OK.

That's all they can do.
In my experience i've never meet the "consultant" who would really became involved in production problems, willing to solve them. Their tactic is to explain to management that there is no problem at all, making production guys out a fools.
And that works, actually.

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Gentlemen,


The answer to this problem ....... is an "Educated Workforce " then no need for Consultants even with a small "c"

This "fantasy" will never happen ...... with the US/UK ethos - every thing on the "Cheap" money to the shareholders - NO Investment.


Regards, Alois

 

[cementary]

Gentlemen,

The answer to this problem ....... is an "Educated Workforce " then no need for Consultants even with a small "c"

Even extraordinaire "educated workforce" can do little to nothing with bad managers.

 

[Deleted member 16349]

Even extraordinaire "educated workforce" can do little to nothing with bad managers.

This is very true.

Much of this problem has been that the education these managers got from the graphic arts institutions was limited to methods used in the industry and not to a theoretical understanding that would help them actually understand the causes of problems. The educators don't understand the problem at a fundamental level and neither do the suppliers. It is a mess but that mess just encourages those with very good trade skills to claim that all that is needed is a well trained workforce.

A well trained workforce is of course very good to have but the problems in the printing industry are systemic and can only be corrected with scientific/engineering changes to the processes. This will not happen because there are so few people that have been educated to think in those terms. There is no intellectual leadership in this industry to solve the many practical systemic problems that need to be addressed.

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Gentlemen,

So ............ Koenig & Bauer (KBA) who celebrate 200 years this year - is of NO consequence to "Scientific/ Engineering" progress ???

Regards, Alois

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Gentlemen,

Being a "Stone Age Relic" I thought the "Workforce" included - the Board of Directors and the CEO and everybody employed in whatever capacity - BUT possibily not the "Share Holders"


Regards, Alois

 

[Deleted member 16349]

Gentlemen,

So ............ Koenig & Bauer (KBA) who celebrate 200 years this year - is of NO consequence to "Scientific/ Engineering" progress ???

Regards, Alois

Quite good engineering but not such good science. Not that much progress compared to other industries due to the lack of valid science to guide their engineering efforts. They don't really understand the process.

 

[gordo]

Other than teeth age does not necessarily lead to wisdom.

 

[MailGuru]

Other than teeth age does not necessarily lead to wisdom.

I don't understand. So.......... as I get older, my teeth get smarter? LOL

When I was a teenager, I was full of vim and vigor, and, thought I knew it all. I swear, I always thought my father had to be the dumbest person on the planet. What's amazing is, the older I got, the smarter, in my eyes, he got. Even though he doesn't visit this forum --- Happy Father's Day, Dad!

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Gentlemen,


"To know what you know and to know what you don't know - That is real wisdom"

Confucious



Regards, Alois

 

[gordo]

I don't understand. So.......... as I get older, my teeth get smarter? LOL

When I was a teenager, I was full of vim and vigor, and, thought I knew it all. I swear, I always thought my father had to be the dumbest person on the planet. What's amazing is, the older I got, the smarter, in my eyes, he got. Even though he doesn't visit this forum --- Happy Father's Day, Dad!

For most people, as they get older, at a certain point their "wisdom" teeth erupt. And if there's no soace for them then a trip to the dentist is called for and their wisdom (teeth) are summarily extracted.

 

[MailGuru]

For most people, as they get older, at a certain point their "wisdom" teeth erupt. And if there's no soace for them then a trip to the dentist is called for and their wisdom (teeth) are summarily extracted.

Oh, ok...................never mind.................

 

[jerrythemacguy]

Back in the 1960s, there was a commercial for a local product I cannot remember. But I do remember the tagline:

“Being Smart is knowing what you’re Dumb at.”


It has been my guiding principle ever since.

 

[kansasquaker]

Gentlemen,
This "fantasy" will never happen ...... with the US/UK ethos - every thing on the "Cheap" money to the shareholders - NO Investment.
Regards, Alois

You are badly misinformed.

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Hello kansasquaker,



So I'm in need of "Enlightenment" I await your reply


Regards, Alois