Printing unattended

[kdw75]

Do you let your production copier/digital press run when no ones around?

I am always scared to go home and leave it to finish up a job. Is that silly? My concern is that it could burst into flames.

 

[Blakes]

Unattended digital

Unattended digital

There is nothing like making money while you sleep, go to work next morning, invoice and deliver the work. That is what business is all about. Just recently I produced a job over a weekend, only visiting the shop twice to reload/ unload. Don't beat yourself up about making money!

 

[patrick.mendyka]

...............

 

[Alith7]

I make sure the job is running well before I leave, there's nothing worse than coming in to find a couple thousand clicks of garbage. but otherwise, yes, frequently.

 

[Topher]

On a production copier/digital press, yes. However, leaving an AB Dick 9850 unattended, while running 5 part carbonless at about 80% top speed, walking up to the front to answer the phone because you know the high school kid will be here any second....not so much.

Rest in Peace Cosmo!

 

[Alith7]

On a production copier/digital press, yes. However, leaving an AB Dick 9850 unattended, while running 5 part carbonless at about 80% top speed, walking up to the front to answer the phone because you know the high school kid will be here any second....not so much.

Rest in Peace Cosmo!

Ouch.... That sounds like the start of a REALLY bad day...

 

[CathieHarris]

Yep, did this a few times myself. I had 200 books to print and right before I left, I'd empty the offload tray, fill up the paper trays and off I'd go happily making money while having my evening G&T.

Of course, you always go back to either find a jam or you're out of paper, but as long as the jam occurred well into the run, to problems - you still saved some time and got work done while being outta there.

No worries. We all trust out digitals to work while we play.
Cath

 

[mbeach]

There are many who do push the button and walk away but I am "old school" where quality and service should still mean something. I can't afford to leave money on the floor or have my customer find 500 bad sheets sandwiched between the good ones. I think it is my responsibility to have quality control steps in place and check the job through the process.

 

[CathieHarris]

I agree to an extent, but it really does matter how much you know and trust your machine. My KM1050 was a workhorse that rarely had any problems, other than jamming due to static electricity. We also kept it in tip-top shape service-wise. I knew it could run through the night as far as it could with paper, etc., as it never streaked, put out bad sheets, or threw paper around. It was a very, very reliable machine.

Granted, there's always that chance, but like I said, if you know and trust your machine you can be comfortable running a job and walking away, depending on the job. I doubt seriously if I'd ever do that with a color machine in which the job was color-critical or there was a chance the pages would fuse together after too much heat.

Just my second 2 cents.
Cath

 

[MailGuru]

Russian Roulette.

Like a revolver, you may be able to get away with this several times with no problems. But, just like in our business, all it takes is that one time and BANG! In our line of work, it's not just the print quality, but, it's the whole mail job. If a job goes out wrong, or sub-quality, you may end up having to re-run the whole job at your own expense (including postage) to keep the customer. Ever had to re-print and mail 50,000 pieces? The postage cost alone would be around $15,000.

We would never do that. We will run into the night sometimes, but only with a second-shift with machines being attended. We reprimand our operators even in the day time for walking away from a machine while it is running.

Best

-MailGuru

 

[patrick.mendyka]

................

 

[CathieHarris]

I've run a mail sorter before and I wouldn't leave one of those unattended for anything. Those are the most difficult things to run - very hands on and so much to go wrong. Luckily, it wasn't my job, but when the gal whose job it was was out and the machine had to be run, I did it and it's something I'd rather not repeat.

I agree with you, MailGuru, with your work. But with my little in-house books, it was just fine leaving it to run on its own.

 

[MailGuru]

well if your going to leave a 50,000 piece mailing running with no one there that's just a tad outrageous.

Not at all.......

4-up 6x9 4/4 postcards.....on 12.5 x 19.......that's only 12,500 sheets.

If they were 4 x 6 1st-class post cards on 12.5 x 19.......those are 9-up....... that's only about 5,600 sheets.

In a mailing, it's not the paper or the clicks (which would also be an expense), it's the postage if you have to re-print and mail.

Wayyyy tooooo much potential liability for us.

To put it in perspective, even if you were paying your operator $20/hr, and, you need him/her to stay tonight for an extra 5-hrs to get a job out, that's only $100. Avoid a potential $15,000 hit for a mere $100? All day -- all night.

-Best

MailGuru

 

[patrick.mendyka]

..................

 

[Alith7]

well in those quantities, it would have been printed on the offset presses and inkjetted, both those processes obviously require constant loading/unloading.

But I'm with Cathie. Constantly doing nothing but standing there and watching the copier run? wow. I would get NOTHING done in a day. watching the first handful of sheets and then spot checking every 30 mins or so is all we do. obviously more if the job is being difficult. But if you machines are THAT unreliable, it sounds like it's time to look at new machines...

 

[Alith7]

again, why would you run that digitally unless it's full variable data?

Not at all.......

4-up 6x9 4/4 postcards.....on 12.5 x 19.......that's only 12,500 sheets.

If they were 4 x 6 1st-class post cards on 12.5 x 19.......those are 9-up....... that's only about 5,600 sheets.

In a mailing, it's not the paper or the clicks (which would also be an expense), it's the postage if you have to re-print and mail.

Wayyyy tooooo much potential liability for us.

To put it in perspective, even if you were paying your operator $20/hr, and, you need him/her to stay tonight for an extra 5-hrs to get a job out, that's only $100. Avoid a potential $15,000 hit for a mere $100? All day -- all night.

-Best

MailGuru

If it was full variable data, I would probably supervise the full run. but otherwise, for such a quantity, why would you pay digital color clicks when you could offset print the mailing and inkjet it for WAY less.

 

[CathieHarris]

LET ME - LET ME - My guess it's a full variable data run with barcodes. You're off by 1/8" and -BAM- the job is rejected by the good 'ol USPS. Been there, done that.

 

[Alith7]

LET ME - LET ME - My guess it's a full variable data run with barcodes. You're off by 1/8" and -BAM- the job is rejected by the good 'ol USPS. Been there, done that.

I can understand that one...But if it's say...1,700 sheets of a 4/4 80# gloss text coupon... I'm not hanging around for 4 hours twiddling my thumbs.

 

[CathieHarris]

Me either, however I've had to babysit variable barcode postcards before. Not fun at all!!

 

[smalloffsetpressexperts]

Interesting topic. So the digital people let the machine run while they go home or whatever? Do these machines output variable data that may contain social security numbers and other information ID thieves can use? What if they break in and steal the job on the copier? While you are home but proudly making money?

What if your insurance company knows you are leaving a machine running unattended? I am just floored by the fact that no one here has mentioned SECURITY to protect the variable data you may be producing.

If you accept a job for a customer they deserve it to be done properly and in a secure manner. That means from start to finish.