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I may not know everything about printing, but I can offer my advice if you leave a comment below.  I can usually respond within a day.


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Web Press Troubleshooting Guide

Comments

  1. why the dancer is not stable at zero speed splicer

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  2. It would probably would have something to do with your brake. Ours is like a disc brake with pads. If the disk is warped or the pads are not right, the dancers will bounce up and down.

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    Replies
    1. We have the same problem but the pads and disk are both good. It's also sporadic.

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  3. Anonymous6:55 AM

    Hello Bill, my name is John. I work on a Goss Urbanite. My shop has had problems with water running all the way up into the ink train. It usually shows up on the ends of the ink ball. It does not happen on all units. But it does on about 3 or 4 units during a run. PLEASE HELP!!! THANK YOU!!
    John

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:23 PM

      if the micro is set to tight it will start picking up water

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    2. Anonymous4:20 PM

      hi, before fitting the blankets, put a thin layer og grease on the bottom of the blanket, not trailing and leading edge, but on the operator and gear side of the blanket, it forms a seal and prevents water from going under the blanket. Ink train rollers set too hard, water travelling up the ink train.

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    3. Anonymous8:09 PM

      Copper roller desensitization. 2oz of lemon juice on the ink train. Run for ten minutes and wash it up.sounds strange but it will work.

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    4. put in some water stops in the pan

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  4. John,
    Your problem is likely related to the water pickup of your ink. The water will slowly make it's way up into the fountain. The short term solution is to run very low water. If the ink in the fountain gets waterlogged, then replace it with fresh stuff. Get your ink manufacturer in asap. Also, high humidity will make this problem worse. I've seen some literally have a fan blowing into the printing unit to help.

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  5. Anonymous1:31 PM

    hello bill.may this problem be related to excessive moisture in paper ?
    thanks
    Mahdad from Tehran

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  6. Anonymous4:38 PM

    i'm doing an essay on print blankets, and i'd like to know some of the effects of an over tightened blanket?

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    Replies
    1. It will wear faster and it can also pull out of bar and cause a lot of damage

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  7. Hmm. Reduced height over bearer. This would effect dot gain settings and force you to increase density. Likely your edges over the gap would soon give way and rip. Does that help?

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  8. Anonymous12:29 PM

    Hello Bill I would like to solve a problem we have been having for years now, we have been getting ink feed back in our damping system dip rollers , but in only happens on the ends. We have changes out both roller the chrome and dip but still same problem. We changed out fountain solutions also, we have chillers on the solution keeper at 52 degrees. This problems only happens on the ends of the rollers.

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    Replies
    1. This usually happens because the ink is being taken off by the paper, but the paper does not extend the full width of the dampening rollers. Therefore the edges build up with ink and water and thus it backtracks to your water system. To stop this, some presses have doctor blades that can be turned on to literally scrape the ink off the edges as it builds up. What can you do? Hard to say. I would start by putting take-off bars on the edges of your sheet/web. This should pull off some of the excess ink.

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    2. Anonymous5:53 AM

      Try adding "mourning bands" to plate area outside of sheet or web. These are typically a 50% screen. This will help oscillate ink back up into roller train. These do not print but help with ink slinging and transfer down to impression cylinders.

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  9. Anonymous9:37 AM

    HI BILL, IN COLORMAN PRESS CRESING ARISED WHEN WE RUN MAX NO. OF PAGE, B'Z OF HIGH TENSTION OR LOW????

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    Replies
    1. Could be both. So many variables come into play. If it's when you're running multiple webs, no doubt the variation in tension between them is the factor.

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  10. plate ware after 100000 copies.

    Kenneth Akide

    Nation Media Group

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    Replies
    1. http://offsetpressman.blogspot.it/search/label/plates?m=0

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  11. Anonymous7:16 AM

    WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR BLANKETS THE PACKING IS GETTING WET ON THE TAIL END ONLY. THIS IS IN THE CENTER .ITS SEEM TO BE MORE ON MAG AND YELLOW BUT CYAN AND BLACK HAS BEEN CHANGE TOO,WE GOT DAY INTER BLANKET WHIT .010 PACKING . ANYBODY HAVE IDEA,S
    THANK,S

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    Replies
    1. Not an uncommon problem. Change to mylar packing for starters if you are not using it already. Probably your lockup device has something to do with it if it is happening only in the middle.

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    2. Hey, I would explain that using Mylar as blanket packing is a BAD idea, since it will retain more water than paper ones. Using mylar as packing has created rust buildup. I would not recommend that option,, my .02 cents

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  12. Anonymous6:07 AM

    hi bill we run colorman web m/c sequal c,m,y,k which thkness packing we used ? naw we used all 0.20 is it right? or plz tail packing effect in tenstion and other things.... thank you

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, this is not enough info and the english is hard to understand.

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  13. Anonymous9:47 AM

    Do you have any ideas of how to get rid of plate gap lines that repeat onto the dampner ultimately showing up in the print. This seems to happen on Goss 2x6 and 2x8 sleeved presses

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:10 PM

      try running less ink and water, the plate needs to reflect dull. find a balance at a much lower level, as well as the rollers on both ink and water trains need to have perfect settings.

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  14. Anonymous7:05 AM

    Hi Bill I was just wondering exactly the steps you take in adjusting the ink forms and dampners ive had two people showe.two.different ways I just would like to know the proper way thanks

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:12 PM

      start to check the form on the oscilator then move to the plate remember that when the press is running the form will be on , therefore set the rollers as it would be when printing, impression and form on.

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  15. Anonymous11:11 PM

    bill i have an am 1960,the packing under the blanket continually rides up, i try double sided tape, but it just tears that.
    paul (cowan press)

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  16. It could be a couple of things. Your packing is likely too long and when you tighten the blanket, the loose edge goes into the gap and is pulled in further by the blanket. If it tears, this would seem the likely cause.

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  17. Anonymous2:14 PM

    Bill one plate on our color unit keeps flying off all of a sudden out of no where never had the problem before and nothing has changed

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:10 AM

      What type of plate lockup slot gap or spring load

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  18. Anonymous3:53 PM

    Hi Bill, Our shop has 2 units on our goss urbanite that collect cyan ink real bad on our water-forms, which in turn cause toning, until you scrape it off. tried adjusting water-forms, changing ink, running water real high, and low, but the only thing to make the toning go away is to run ink light. Any ideas? Thanks

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    Replies
    1. Well, if you have tried all those things, you have to look at chemistry. I would call your ink rep and ask him to fix it. Especially if it occurs in more than one unit.

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  19. Anonymous2:19 AM

    Hi bill, I have a problem, I want to ask you what caused the printing plates are easily damaged. Please help me, thank you...

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  20. Anonymous11:29 PM

    hi bil in colourman press heavy loop formation when we run tabloid format. n loop form in bellow formar nipping roller
    plz guide me.

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  21. Not web question but maybe you can help? 6-color sheetfed, running in units 2-5 KCMY, no problems, move inks to 1-4 to print 6-color jobs with spot inks in 5 and 6, immediate blinding, less than 500 sheets. Happened last 2 times we did this. Different papers, same result. Same inks. Dead unit compound put in unit 1 while running 2-5 for 3 months, too long to leave that in? Not getting it cleaned out contaminating other units downstream? Happens in magenta first then the other colors also. Clean plates, prints ok for a while and back again, all colors too light, density ok.
    Any ideas?

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  22. I run a 2 unit NewsKing press, black only. We have a quarter folded, tabloid style publication, printing 16 pages per web. Often we only print 16 pgs, meaning we only use the one web. Recently when printing 32 pages (max capacity) i all of the sudden started having extreme tension issues. Extreme.

    The bottom web is so baggy it almost touches my ink rollers inside the printing unit. I have ruled out bad or over packed blankets, our drum brake system, dancer rollers, etc. My gut tells me it is in the folder.

    What can cause this kind of trouble in a KJ6A folder? The jaw assembly system? I did break a tucker blade yesterday which is unusual for me.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jeff, hard to say without seeing the problem. You could try increasing your tension before the unit (more brake on the roll).

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    2. Anonymous11:48 AM

      check the blanket gaps on the printing units. Make sure that when they come around they actually release the web. If not they are probably over packed, increasing the diameter of the blanket cyc and causing over feeding without the opportunity to pull the paper back with the brake. Big problem if one is over-packed and one is not.

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    3. Anonymous11:14 AM

      The less tension the better, so try loosing up the top web before you add more to the bottom

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    4. Anonymous1:10 PM

      Also check folder, if the folder isn't pulling that will make the website baggy

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  23. Anonymous4:24 PM

    Hi Bill. I work on a goss community press. When changing a blanket we torque it after 100 refs under impression, then the final torque after 15 000copies. I have been taught not to torque the two end screws on the blanket many years ago. There is a debate as to it being correct or incorrect. Could you please shed some light on this.
    Regards
    Morne

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    Replies
    1. We do it the exact way you do it. In fact, this is the way blanket manufacturers recommend it. I don't know where the debate is.

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  24. Anonymous11:14 AM

    Hi Bill/ Fellow print brothers
    I'm running a Wifag OF 370 PCU with a 90 KZA 2:5:5 folder.
    In the last couple of weeks, when running a collect product with full 16 mm positive lap, I'm noticing my lap diminish to 10-12 mm as I increase press speed. I usually run this product @ 25-30,000 rph.
    Even more perplexing, my inside section/high section seems to decrease in length,up to 10-15 mm shorter than my low section. Only recent change iv'e made, is new foam expansion bands on the collection cylinder. Could this be a timing issue? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
    Thank-you

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    Replies
    1. Tension changes as speed changes. Nips also perform their job differently wih speed increases. If it's any help, I notice the same tendency on our presses.

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  25. Anonymous9:27 AM

    Hi Bill=

    i am having trouble with my register , i operate a 10 colour KBA and my register while in straight printing does not fit from the first 5 before the perfector to the last 5 after the perfector. From the grip edge to the back edge the register is out by a mil.. a KBA engineer and i spent a full day today trying to solve this problem with no success? We checked, measured all packings under blankets and foil packing under plates, which is the obvious. if the image is shortened this is usually over packing! The engineer set all the clamp pressures which pull the plate tight round plate cyl. Checked tension of bankets also everything ok but prob still there? It is a 12 year old machine any suggestions? BAFFLED

    CHEERS

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like you have tried most of the things I would. At this point I would suspect paper. Is it possible to run some paper with the grain in the other direction?

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  26. Anonymous3:49 AM

    i have komori sprint 4 colour and the problem is that the printing is giving double effect and registration is somewere perfect and somwhere its going out

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  27. Anonymous6:03 PM

    hi .. my Harris JF-40 folder wrinkles at the bottom of the former board .. we tried resetting the nip pressures former board angle ..still wrinkles... any ideas ???

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    Replies
    1. Try adjusting your two rider rollers at the base of the former. Also, if you are adjusting the angle of the former, I think you have gone too far. That should never have to be adjusted. When you start adjusting that, it means there is another problem. Reset it back to factory settings. If you have never replaced your former board time (at the base where the first fold takes place) then I recommend replacing that. They wear and cause this problem. They're around 5 to 800 dollars.

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  28. Anonymous9:00 PM

    I have a Cromoman. I just got a problem that registration is ok at speed of 20K, but when I raise up to 35K sph, the registration is out.
    I just use the new kind of blanket which is used very well by the other (because the old one is not anymore)
    Could you please give me advice in this case?
    Thanks a lot!

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    Replies
    1. I saw something similar once. Tried new blankets and all different types of tension settings. Nothing helped. In the end it turned out that it was a cylinder bearing that was going and only showed up at high speeds.

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  29. Anonymous3:15 PM

    i work on a 26" komori EB web press.tension varys everytime we start/stop. much worse with poly coated board. new drive was installed in the infeed but the pullthrough input is where the tension moves a lot.will go from 180dan to 60 with the only thing different is a blanket wash

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    Replies
    1. Then it's either your nip at the infeed or you have leaky rubber boots in the tension control arms at the infeed.

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  30. Anonymous10:23 AM

    I would like to know if the two greasing nipples on the Goss community gear side (plate cylinder 13) serve the same purpose. I am asking because on my unit one nipple is clogged, but the other is working fine. they both seam to do the same job.

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  31. Anonymous7:29 AM

    We have a 45A folder, we are trying to not slit over the nose, all we get is cracking can't stop this any ideas

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    Replies
    1. Either your nip pressures below former are not configured right or your former nose is worn.

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  32. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  33. Hi! We are running a Goss community press and are having troubles with ink spots. The spots are NB it present on the process free plates we use and are more like ink was dropped or sprayed on the product. Any suggestions?

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like emulsification issues. Your ink/water balance is likely the problem. Start there.

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    2. Thanks! The ink vendor is pointing fingers at the process free plates we use and the stochastic screen. Could this be caused by the pressman running water too high?

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    3. He could be right. The only thing you can do then is bring your waters to their lowest point and see if it goes away. My suspicion would be the ink. But to prove it you need to start switching products (ink/plates/screen process) to see where the problem is coming from.

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  34. Anonymous1:41 PM

    When printing direct, should the blanket be under packed?
    Getting slack between units. Also blue/yellow is printing wider than red/black.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, your blanket should be underpacked because there is no give with the plate. If you don't change packing, your tension will be affected and your plate will wear out real fast. Regarding the wider print, this is a result of fanout (I have other articles on this blog about that). If you are printing direct, fanout will be even worse because the water goes right from the plate to the paper.

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    2. Anonymous11:26 AM

      No, don't under pack, we run direct every day out of a goss 2high yellow on the lower with nothing across then cyan / magenta (direct) on top then down to a blk mono, underpacking will make it bag. make sure everything is packed the same and mylar plate packing are the same.

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  35. Hello. The dancer in one of my infeeds isn't dancing. It stays in bottomed out when running. If I take the air pressure off I can raise and lower it. I have no control of the top web because of this. Any help would be awesome! I am running an M110 Harris circa 1985 approximately with 23 inch wide webs...ftballdaddyman@gmail.com is my email. Thanks, Josh Phillips

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    Replies
    1. I've ran 12 different Harris models over 15 years.

      We ran our run brake @25psi with dancer air @20 psi for standard 20# 24# 50/60# offset paper. Make sure your dancer position module is working correctly and your magnetic clutch is working correctly.

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  36. How to adjust iron to iron on Goss coummunity.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:16 PM

      You need a go- no go set of gouges, and check without blankets and plates on impression, make several different checks around the cylinders, wrap ups have possibility of warping the cylinders

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  37. We recently had a bad wrapup on a Dgm 430. Changed packing, blankets and timed up the cylinders. Still seem to be missing a slight bit of image on the trailing edge. Should I try packing that edge a little more? Thanks for the advice in advance.

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    Replies
    1. your cylinders are still off, an easy fix is try moving the circ, and see if that helps.

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  38. Anonymous5:24 AM

    adjusting ink feed to ink fountain

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  39. We have an issue with our Goss Imperial 3:2 folder. It continuously shatters the Split Slitter blades. We have set the backlash and have set the set the blades in the groove to the proper .004 to .006 gap to the hardened ring. However it continues to happen. Is there a way to set the depth of the blade going into the cutting groove?

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  40. Hi, I'm running an old royal zenith, and after an idler gear froze up last week one unit is printing too large. I've underpacked the blanket to no avail. Wondering if you have any thoughts.

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  41. I run a 4 color miller get blurry double image usually every other sheet it is a perfecting press checked all grippers and cams and followers seem good mostly happens in back left corner of sheet

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  42. Hi we run a man Roland press we are having problems with the black ink being pulled off the Web and on to the other color blankets mainly the last unit which is the yellow building up and smashing the blankets Just before it enters the dryer It also affects the print in certain areas Also it's just the solid blacks not a 4 color black That seemed to build-up on the blanket Mainly on gloss paper

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    Replies
    1. Seen it before. You may have to run a little more water on the yellow as you may be at the bottom of your water balance window. Besides that you could have a tack issue with your inks.

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  43. We are facing doubling issue in Komori System 38 (2003). Currently we are using Megtec flying pasters. As we have observed the problem occurs only when the old reel changes with the new one. The doubling happens for that short amount of time and it appears on 75-100 pcs then it goes away until the next reel.

    Any leads in this regard would be much appreciated.

    Cheers,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. its simply tension upset from the splice, i wouldnt bother trying to tune up the splicer for that amount of papers, but if you want to chase it fine, check your brakes, for glazing.

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  44. Printman7:21 AM

    Hi Bill, are you alive?

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  45. Hi Bill,
    I have encountered such a phenomenon for the first time in 40 years. We print the book and there are mostly golden metalic areas for the whole page. "Waves" appear only in some places and not in the entire edition. It can see only with the naked eye, but you cannot see them under a magnifying glass or microscope. The printer operator claims, that they were not visible in the fresh print, they only appeared when they dried. Moreover, on some sheets it weakened and on some it did not.
    We print with Pantone 876 on Focus Art Natural or Garda Kiara paper. The machine is a Heidelberg CD74.

    Best regards

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  46. Anonymous10:44 AM

    Why the on Damping pan rollers ink deposit in Komori machine. For this problem fountain solution dosing increase or decreases.

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  47. Anonymous12:32 PM

    Im having problems breaking pins on one of our Goss c150s. Pinpost bushings,clevis pins and post have all been replaced but it is still breaking them two or three at a time. Could this be a issue with the timing on the lap adjustment even though the tucker blade is riding smoothly

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:09 PM

      I am not certain, just throwing this thought out there, have you installed the right pins of the correct length? maybe its a little longer than previous.

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  48. Anonymous1:38 PM

    I work on a heidelberg xl106. We are having problems with impression transfer to a plate cylinder when we are just using a unit as a press off unit. Ie printing on 2,3 and 4 press off on 5 then print on 6. What can cause this transfer.

    ReplyDelete

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