NCR work done Digital or Offset?

[BigSi]

Hi there.

No carbon required.

Let me run this past you all. 80%-90% of all my offset work is NCR. (I have a 2col GTO ) So what is stoping me getting rid of my offset press and doing all my NCR digital. (I could do with the room and cash from the sale of my Heidelberg. I also have to get my plates made out.). In the past I have thought the thin NCR stocks (55-60gsm) would not run well digital. I put a NCR job threw my Xerox V80 the other day and it ran perfect. I can number on my digital press. As far as I can see the only possible problem area is perforating!. Maybe I could get hold of a Morgana or Duplo for just doing this. (or even an old GTO 46 on its last legs, it would be fine for just perforating). How do pre perforated sheets go threw most digital machines?. The job I did the other on my V80 was perforated and it ran well.

Your thoughts and feedback are appreciated.

 

[Inkscape Print]

We run a ton of ncr, moslty on the Xerox D95. I buy preperfed, precollated and it runs with little or no problems.

 

[BigSi]

Thanks for the info Mark. Will look into the availability of pre perforated NCR in this part of the world, but I suspect it will be a hell of a lot more expensive than my normal NCR especially if it comes from xerox.

 

[dabob]

The only thing to look at is the click charges . . . a plate is 20 bucks a run but click charges are forever . . . . we run them both ways depending on the job.

 

[AP90]

Hi there.

No carbon required.

Let me run this past you all. 80%-90% of all my offset work is NCR. (I have a 2col GTO ) So what is stoping me getting rid of my offset press and doing all my NCR digital. (I could do with the room and cash from the sale of my Heidelberg. I also have to get my plates made out.). In the past I have thought the thin NCR stocks (55-60gsm) would not run well digital. I put a NCR job threw my Xerox V80 the other day and it ran perfect. I can number on my digital press. As far as I can see the only possible problem area is perforating!. Maybe I could get hold of a Morgana or Duplo for just doing this. (or even an old GTO 46 on its last legs, it would be fine for just perforating). How do pre perforated sheets go threw most digital machines?. The job I did the other on my V80 was perforated and it ran well.

Your thoughts and feedback are appreciated.

Id say it would definitely be worth it if is a B&W job. Color could add up quickly. A 3 part job with just a red number on it will be in the $.12 range already for each set depending on your click. Could get pricey for any type of longer runs.

 

[BigSi]

Yes I agree. I guess I will need to do some number crunching. The other thing to consider is click charges only go up. Hence the bastards have got you over a barrel. "you want your click charge to go back to what it used to be. you have to buy a new machine".

 

[Craig]

Or buy a graphic wizard numbering machine and crash number in red.

 

[dabob]

Si, does your GTO have the numbering attachment? . . . if it does you already have a device that will crash # and do a bunch of other stuff with quality and a low cost per impression . . . .

 

[BigSi]

Yes it does. The thing is I only average about x4 jobs a month on it. (of which x 3 are NCR) so can I really justify the space?. (Its not really so much the money thing as a 1985 2col GTO is not really worth a lot) When I mention number crunching it was not literal. (I meant working out costs). I have a Heidelberg platen, the best machine in the world for crash numbering. Thanks

 

[dabob]

Yes it does. The thing is I only average about x4 jobs a month on it. (of which x 3 are NCR) so can I really justify the space?. (Its not really so much the money thing as a 1985 2col GTO is not really worth a lot) When I mention number crunching it was not literal. (I meant working out costs). I have a Heidelberg platen, the best machine in the world for crash numbering. Thanks

Si, I was focusing on Craigs suggestion of a graphic wizzard for the crash numbering . . . Is the square footage the press takes up that big an influence? Do you make the plates inhouse . . . if you don't need the space and you make your own plates at a low cost I would keep the GTO and maybe get rid of the windmill . . . just my 2 cents . . . .

 

[BigSi]

Thanks Bob. Get my plates out. Actually use my windmill more than my GTO, (its the big one, GT 13x18) do quite a bit of die cutting. But point taken about the graphic wizard, They are not very common in this part of the world, not sure if there is an agent here (New Zealand) I have never actually seen one (I've been in the trade over 30 years) but I guess there are similar machines around. Having said that you might be right! could be better off just keeping my old GTO.

 

[ID13]

Yes it does. The thing is I only average about x4 jobs a month on it. (of which x 3 are NCR) so can I really justify the space?. (Its not really so much the money thing as a 1985 2col GTO is not really worth a lot) When I mention number crunching it was not literal. (I meant working out costs). I have a Heidelberg platen, the best machine in the world for crash numbering. Thanks

We do a mix of digital and offset for ncr work. Either way we run it through our Heidelberg windmill for perforating, and usually for crash numbering because we use red ink. Sheets coming off the digital press feed a little different if they're a bit wavy, but once you're used to it it's no problem.

 

[dabob]

Thanks Bob. Get my plates out. Actually use my windmill more than my GTO, (its the big one, GT 13x18) do quite a bit of die cutting. But point taken about the graphic wizard, They are not very common in this part of the world, not sure if there is an agent here (New Zealand) I have never actually seen one (I've been in the trade over 30 years) but I guess there are similar machines around. Having said that you might be right! could be better off just keeping my old GTO.

We had a graphic wizzard perf/number machine early on . . .. it did the job and hopefully they have improved them over the years we kept ours about 2 years and then basically threw it away . .. personally if the space is not an issue I would surely keep the GTO even for one run a week . . and if you ever die cut registered to ink your digital printer is just not gonna get the job done (badddd registration). If its paid for and it appears that it is - why fix whats not broke?