Printing b/w on a 4-color offset press vs 2-color press

[Bashv]

A printer told me that my next project will be printed in this way:

- The color pages on a 4-color offset press
- The b/w pages on a 2-color offset press (Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 2P)

My question is:

1. The b/w content uses K only, so I guess that there's no difference whether it is printed on a 4c, 2c or a 1c press. Am I correct or am I missing something?

2. If a printery is profiled / certified for the PSO / FOGRA standard, is that applicable only to 4c presses or to 2c presses as well?

The thing is that my color content and my b/w content is in the same PDF document (just on different pages) and I'm soft-proofing all that on my monitor "through the lens" of the PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA 52) profile.

This gives me an idea how all that should look on paper. But if two different machines are used, I don't know what to expect. I thought that everything will go on a single 4c machine.

Thanks

 

[gordo]

Color is determined by the hue of the ink that is used. They are likely using the same K ink on each press so the black color will be the same.
There may be a difference in the tone reproduction between the two pressses especially if the BW imagery is printed with one pass of K ink since the ink is transparent and the 100%K will only end up being a very dark grey. But that appearance is image content dependent.

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Hello Bashv,

Question - are the pages a mixture of B/W and 4 colour images on the same page?

2) How many pages in total eg. 12/16/24 or 32 pages?

Regards, Alois

 

[Bashv]

Hello Bashv,

Question - are the pages a mixture of B/W and 4 colour images on the same page?

2) How many pages in total eg. 12/16/24 or 32 pages?

Regards, Alois

Thanks for your reply. Regarding your 1st question. The b/w and the 4-color images are not placed on the same pages.

I don't think that I understand your 2nd question, but it's like this: most of the book (several 100s of pages) is in black & white and there're just a couple of pages with 4-color images on them.

Btw everything will be printed on uncoated paper (if this is important to mention).

 

[SheetSqueezer]

If the black ink to be used is the same for both presses, and each press has been profiled and (if necessary) compensated for in prepress, the tone reproduction from press to press will be the same. For example; a K only halftone on the 2-color press will appear exactly the same as it would on the 4-color press.

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Hello Bashv,

The 4 Colour page needs "Tone Reproduction Curves for U/coated Paper also the Mono (B/W pages)
Why are you printing the 4Col on U/coated Paper?

Regards, Alois

 

[Magnus59]

Hello Bashv,

The 4 Colour page needs "Tone Reproduction Curves for U/coated Paper also the Mono (B/W pages)
Why are you printing the 4Col on U/coated Paper?

Regards, Alois

It has become trendy among designers to print 4 colour on uncoated paper, we're seeing more of it in catalogue and brochure jobs all the time.

 

[SteveSuffRIT]

Also consider how density measurements are being made.
4/c press may have an off-line scanner (with black backer).
2/c press may just be only handheld densitometer (with white or self-backer).
Make sure K density measures the same on both presses, with different instruments.

 

[Ashok Taneja]

Hi bashav
What I understand that you have a job having 4 color and black white pages.
4color pages have some profile.
Now press person will impose the pages in such a way all 4 color section (4/8/16) pages to be print on 4 color press.
While bw pages will be print in sm102-2p in one go front and back (perfaction press where paper truns in the machine itself after 1st unit and back side will be print in 2nd unit)

 

[mrserge]

Since only some pages are 4-color, print provider gave you a good hint on how to reduce costs for the print. There is no need to doubt that outcome for K-only part of the job will be almost identical from both presses as the process is also most likely identical: filling the black ink in the K section of the offset press and measure the outcome (either offline or inline) to get stable outcome. Using 4 section press to run 1 color job is unnecessary if technically there is possibility to run it on 2-section press.