How are you all running your large run VD jobs

[NGA]

Question for you all. We have been recently getting alot of large run jobs (50,000+ sheet runs) that we apply variable data to. My question for you in how do you all produce it. We currently are printing blanks on our offset presses and then sending them back to our digital presses. Our problems we are running into is powder, and curl in the paper which is causing a nightmare for our digital operator. is anyone else do it this way or are you printing the entire piece on your digital presses.
thanks

 

[LoneGoose]

Are these black-only digital presses?

 

[NGA]

we have 2 km 1050's and 1 km C6500. we are seeing large quanties on both

 

[jennypie47]

We do both. It is really a cost issue.
For Black and white imprints we are mainly using shells especially for larger quantities as the pricing becomes an issue to run on the color machine (and most shells are color).
Smaller color runs we do it all digitally. Postcards, brochures, letters, etc.
Larger ones (letters) we price out both ways and decide which is most cost and time effective based on workload. Mostly we end up doing it all digitally.
We haven't had too much problem with powder although the curl is fun to flatten out.

 

[LodAssoc]

First off, be easy on the spray powder. Is the peice heavy coverage? If not, go a little easier on the powder. That stuff can ruin parts of your digital. I did this a few years back when I was running a Xerox 5000. We ran blanks on press and then imprinted on the digi. All that powder gets into the sensors and the paper dust traps, and also sticks to the transfer belt and the fuser parts. As for the curl: I don't know what machine you are running, but you might have a decurler. I have a decurling feature on my machine and it works well. It's a little difficult to figure out at first, but once you do, you'll love it.

I also run VD on my Xerox. I don't run the high quantities like you, but I have been fine just running the entire job on the digital. I might run a 10K sheet VD job. Can you duplex on your machine? What software do you use for VD, and what is your RIP? If you can duplex the stock your running the VD on, there's no reason why you couldn't do it all on your digital machine. If the job needs to stay in order you'll have to keep a close eye on it during printing and finishing, but it might save you the headaches of going from offset to digital, with all the curl and powder issues. This is of course, if it is mainly color. FOr black you may want to run shells and use powder at a minimum.

 

[UberTech]

I have a few customers who run this type of work with the same setup. Unfortunatly the 1050 does not have a decurler (1051 does with vacuum feed also) the c6500 has two small decurlers in the engine and if you have a relay unit you can do a curl reform up or down.

There are a few feed roller options you could try. They released a coated feed roller, this will look orange rather than the normal grey. You say 1050, if it is not and 'e' you probably don't have the updated feed head although they can be upgraded. Also the tray has a pressure adjustment, pull the tray out and on the left hand side there is a spring adjustment crank that right up, also make sure the fan assist is turned on for heavier stocks.

One of the companys I do work for has some sort of device that blows a majority of the powder off, might be worth looking at.

 

[rockin57rod]

Run it on a Xerox with "air Knife" feed heads...any machine with feed rollers will give you grief.

 

[Digitalkidd]

VD Jobs

VD Jobs

We run our large jobs on shells, cut them down and run them through our Videojet 4320 ink jet. No powder problems, cheap too!

 

[rockin57rod]

Can you run 14 X 17 / duplex / 110 lb / with a perf and a heavy solid and outstanding halftones / with a readable bar code on both sides on a Videojet ? I find that's a typical job and quality is critical.

 

[rockin57rod]

The problem you face is that if the stock has been sprayed, the powder that comes off of it goes everywhere and you can't stop that. Most people try to run it but eventually give up due to frustration from perpetual paper jams. Using a Xerox with air knife feed heads and belts solves the problem of contamination on the rollers. I've been doing this for 30+ years and in addition to this I have developed extensive modifications to enable this type of application to run with ease. Although keeping the equipment clean is important cranking out a million is not a challenge and very cost effective.