Standard workforce number needed for 3 offset machines

[shamelna]

Hi everybody,


We had a discussion at our factory regarding the optimum number of workforce required to run our three Heidelberg sheet-fed offset printing machines 4/5/6 colors. Currently we have 4 per machine along with a supervisor for the 3 machines. Some of my colleagues claims that the normal number is 2 per machine. So, form you experience, what is the appropriate number to have per machine. The number should cover feeding raw material, changeover, following up the delivered sheets quality.

A quick response is appreciated
Thank you

 

[Cornishpastythighs]

This could depend on the amount of automation you have on your presses, if they have autoplate loaders,auto wash ups, auto blanket washers etc you can get away with 2 people (feeder/Pressman).You should also have a press helper for each machine or someone who could 'float' who can handle the finished stock and assist with changeovers and makereadies. I think only 2 people on a 6 colour is stretching it a bit thin personally. If you are a shop where training and not shutting the press down due to absenteeism is important that extra guy allows for the feeder to learn to run the press and the helper to learn the feeder. 4 people on a four colour press is not very cost effective.
Just my opinion

 

[Mike LaForest]

All of our 6/color presses run wih 2 people , our 5 / color half size runs 1 operator and shares a feeder from time to time. These are also a mix of UV and conventional . I could not compete with 3 or 4 guys on a press.

 

[jbeniston]

Normal manning for such presses in North America is 2 people.
Pressman and Feeder

 

[Mike Herndon]

2 sm102 6 color+ coater/perfectors
1 sm102 8 color perfector

3 lead pressmen, 2 helpers shared between 3 presses. We run 24 hours a day 7 days a week and will go through 300,000 sheets of paper in a weekend easy. 4 guys on a press???....man, heads would explode.

Mike

 

[BVulgaris]

Its all about the Print Samurai and Ninjas....
(sorry... daydream...)

 

[shamelna]

So, how do you manage the make-ready times, we have like 10 changeover(s) /day.


Mike, what is your average production per week(sheets)

Thank you all

 

[Mike Herndon]

So, how do you manage the make-ready times, we have like 10 changeover(s) /day.


Mike, what is your average production per week(sheets)

Thank you all

hmmm That's tough to say. We're all over the place in run length change overs. We average 60-80 plate changes per 12 hour shift, so roughly 120-160 plates per day. Some days more, some days could be a lot less. Some jobs are 500 sheets others could be 200m sheets.

My schedule for the weekend covers 72 hours, this weekend we had 86 jobs, 700m sheets worth of printing. We'll be finishing up the last of the jobs Monday am. In a 7 day week running 24 hours a day we probably run 2-2.5 million sheets between our 3 sm102s. Sounds like a lot and it is but when you average it out over 7 days its equals around 60m sheets per press over 12 hours.


Mike

 

[motormount]

Hi Mike!

I saw on your site that you accept native files as well!

Could you please tell me how many people are on the prepress department and which platesetter you use?

Thanks in advance!

 

[CD102]

So I take it that the presses go down for breaks? For safety's sake I'd want two people on a press at all times and there's no way I can see that happening with 5 people on three machines.

 

[ondemandbindery]

So I take it that the presses go down for breaks? For safety's sake I'd want two people on a press at all times and there's no way I can see that happening with 5 people on three machines.

With the market he is in there are no breaks on the Press until the press Breaks Lol.... Printing- Forever changed.

JW

 

[Mike Herndon]

With the market he is in there are no breaks on the Press until the press Breaks Lol.... Printing- Forever changed.

JW

That is true, nice to hear from JW! Ondemandbindery is familiar with our operation and he is right we don't really stop the presses unless they break or go down for maintenance. We stop at shift change to clean back cylinders, that's about it.

I wish there was enough money in printing to justify 1 helper per press but simple fact there is not.


For breaks we stagger them, and the helpers watch the press. The guys work out the times so presses do not go down. I will run them also through lunch if I'm available. Safety, it's not really an issue. One operator running a SM102 for 30 minutes by yourself is not that big of a deal.

We've worked this way for over ten years. Fact is- print has changed and there's really no value in it anymore. If you're not running 24 hours a day 7 days a week you're not going to make it.The extra hours make up for the loss in value. If you add bodies your OE goes up so you still will not make it. We have to run more with less, therefore we have to work smarter so we don't work harder.

Is it easy, no it's not. It helps that our pressmen and helpers get paid well but it's still hard work. Also, we have pay incentives based on production- the guys get paid more based on what they produce. When your paycheck is affected by how much you print, you figure out a way to run your press through lunch.

Edit- I want to add our Pressmen and Helpers are really good. Everyone works together to get things done as a Team. The mindset on our pressroom is different, without teamwork you simply can not make it happen.

Mike

 

[ondemandbindery]

Hey Mike. We gotta kick some dirt up one of these days Lol.... I have joined CCDR and would love to take you out there one day and let you show me a few things Lol.

Mike is spot on about having good help to make this work. His Pressroom is not necessarily the exception anymore but this is what has happened in the Industry. You run as lean as you can with a smaller head count and most of the time it will work out. A second Pressman can make or break production. The great part is it keeps everyone busy and it makes the time go by while working because you won't have much time to do any clock watching. But on the same hand the right 2nd Pressman with forward thinking can easily handle the task.

JW

 

[Mark Flanders]

10 change overs a day?! You guys need an Indigo for your short run color.
--
PS - 3 people max per press. 1 pressman, 1 feeder/2nd pressman, one feeder trainee.

 

[GazKL440]

Meh we've been running sans assistants for 2 years now.

It certainly affects productivity: having to chase up your stock and strip pallets takes time, the 26" 5 col has to be hand loaded (100k+ sheets in a 12hr shift takes it's toll!) and you lose time every single change over simply due to having to do both ends...

It also affects the general maintenance of machinery (a 40" takes a LOT of time to properly grease on your own) and general cleanliness of the factory floor: I've got jobs to print so no time to sweep up etc!

We are also suffering from physical breakdowns of pressmen and poor moral: when you're getting flogged to death to get work out on time and the owners care for nought but dollar signs, your level of care tends to drop off and people are hurting themselves... RSI's are common, I've been struggling with a nerve damage issue in my lower back that no amount of physio can help, and we are all generally sore more often than not.

But that's the printing game now: only the ruthless survive and the guys that actualy produce the work are nought but numbers on the floor. Ffs.

/rant.