How The Press Runs?

Press Run is the most important stage since it is where your design is converted into data that the printer can capture and then transfer to the paper.

 

It's true that most printers' output is comparable whether they're digital or offset. The knowledge and competence of the printer operators and quality controllers frequently make the most difference in the final product's quality.

 

Here we detail the standardised, specialised and guaranteed methods we use to ensure quality throughout the manufacturing process.

 

 

Offset Printing: What Is It?

 

A more conventional form of printing is offset. It is printed without letting the ink touch the paper directly. The ink image is first transferred from the plate made of aluminium to the blanket and then to the surface of the paper.

The best printing method for huge print quantities, excellent quality, finer detail, and complex color schemes is offset printing. And for orders containing more than 200 decks of cards, our self-service ordering system automatically switches to offset printing.

 

 

Digital printing: What Is It?

 

The process of digital printing utilizes cutting-edge technology. While digital mass printing is more expensive than more conventional processes, it is more efficient and economical for smaller print runs. Furthermore, changes may be done quickly and simply since digital printing eliminates the need for a printing plate and other technical stages.

 

For purchases of less than 200 decks of cards, digital printing is used automatically in our self-service ordering platform.

 

 

Digital Printing vs. Offset Printing

 

1.  For small batches, digital printing is the greatest and cheaper option, but offset printing is the best option for big batches.

2.  In contrast to digital printing that does not employ the plate idea or other antiquated technological procedures, offset printing uses metal plates.

3. Compared to digital printing, offset printing offers images of superior quality. Offset printing allows for continuous printing without sacrificing color or quality. Each print run in digital printing produces a lesser quality product than the one before it. In summary, continuous printing cannot produce high-quality prints in digital printing.

4. It is impossible to diversify offset printing. You can only work on one project at a time. With digital printing, you may finish the task by entering several names, addresses, etc., and all jobs will be produced continuously without the need for repeated instructions.

5. Offset printing requires a lengthy setup process that includes altering plates and other parts before printing. Setting up for digital printing doesn't take long.

 

 

Digital Press

 

Digital printing is also called Print on Demand (POD). It is similar to a large home laser or inkjet printer and allows computer files to be printed directly onto paper.

Compared to offset printing, digital printing has many advantages, such as no minimum quantity, no plate making, immediate print and pick-up, instant error correction, etc.

However, it has a higher unit cost, less control over color and registration than offset printing, and cannot meet the needs of more specialised and complex printing. So we would recommend digital printing for orders of 1 to 200 decks, or for orders with very short turnaround times. 

 

In general, the process of digital press is very automatic and simple, with the following main steps:

 

1. Design: The designer uses the typesetting software to create the file, providing all the necessary information about the file, the paper and other necessary information.

2. File preparation: The operator opens the file provided by the client and checks the format, typeface, image connections, accuracy, white out and other settings. Once the checks are complete, the file is rasterised, electronically imaged and then transferred to the digital press controller.

3. Proofing: Most digital presses can be used for proofing themselves, so that the customer has a clear idea of the quality of the print.

4. Printing: Although much of the preparation work is automated, one or two operators are required to monitor the digital press and the computer. They are responsible for: calibrating the paper settings; controlling the color and fine-tuning accuracy by adjusting the dot size to ensure that the file is set up correctly; checking the ink or toner for adhesion; and checking the paper supply to ensure that the mechanical part is functioning correctly.

5. Distribution before printing: files can be transferred to other locations with digital presses via high-speed communication lines, saving transport costs and providing personalised printing between territories.

6. Packaging: At last the printed sheets are sent to other machines for cutting, corner punching and packing according to the customer's requirements.

 

 

Offset Printer

 

Heidelberg, one of the best press manufacturers in the world, has supplied us with multiple high-performance sheet-fed offset printers. These presses use pre-cut parent sheets and can only feed one sheet at a time. They feature low unit prices and great print quality, but a significant setup fee. That's why we suggest offset printing for orders more than 200 decks.

 

As the industry standard for high-quality, cost-effective mass printing, offset printing is the technology we mostly use. If you're unfamiliar with the process and its specifics, we'll highlight the steps that apply to your project and explain them in plain English.

 

 

Making plates

 

Most commercial printing operations today employ CTP (Computer to Plate) direct plate-making equipment to create printing plates. CTP plate manufacturing improves detail reproduction and minimizes smudges in comparison to older printing technologies. As a result, the ink is thicker and more brilliant, the registration is spot on, and there is a reduced need for overprint paper.

 

Your design will be separated into CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) files when the imposition in the pre-press is complete. In the plate maker, the files are laser etched onto four thin metal printing plates, which are then transferred to the press.

 

This is because producing a full color sheet of paper uses four printing plates. The press uses thin metal plates that are both flexible and robust enough to be twisted tightly around the spinning cylinders inside the press.

 

The ability to register CTP plates quickly and accurately after they are loaded on the press has a significant impact on the print quality and productivity. Thus, we have a cross-line register that can be used for precise registration with a high-definition camera.

 

In addition, cross-line register has an adjustment function that corrects cross deviations on CTP plates due to platemaking and drying in advance, thereby reducing overprint paper usage, ink waste, and most importantly - customer’s turnaround time.

 

 

Parent Sheet and Parent Plate

 

A sizable pre-cut sheet of paper serves as the parent sheet. While digital presses only take fixed sizes of 750 x 530mm, our various offset printing machines can print on paper sizes ranging from 360 x 210mm to 1035 x 702mm.

The parent sheet sizes are very diverse and this feature allows us to select the most economical solution for your printing project. As an example, for 55 cards, 63 x 88 mm, a parent sheet measuring 740 x 412 mm would be used, for 78 Tarot cards, 70 x 120 mm, a parent sheet measuring 750 x 874 mm would be used, etc.

 

The first plate used to print a deck of cards, box, or booklet is called a parent plate. As the size of your deck and the number of cards surpass our maximum parent sheet size (1035 x 702mm), you will need to increase the number of parent plates. You might not be able to stop the rise in parent plates even if you have a few more cards, or even just one.

 

Let's use a standard playing card as an illustration here, measuring 63 x 88 mm:

- 55 cards or fewer. with different front design and same back design, just two parent plates are required;

- 55 cards or fewer, with unique front and back designs, still requiring two parent plates;

- 55-110 cards with distinct front designs and the same back design require three parent plates;

- 55-110 cards, each having a unique front and back design and requiring four parent plates;

- and so forth.

 

The following are the optimal number of cards for different card stock options at different sizes in only 2 parent plates (front and back):

Blue core/ Art paper/ Plastic
Poker size (2.48″x3.46″)	54 cards/deck
Tarot size (2.75″x4.75″)	29 cards/deck
Square size (2.5″x2.5″)	65 cards/deck
Mini size (1.61″x2.48″)	95 cards/deck
Black core
Poker size (2.48″x3.46″)	55 cards/deck
Tarot size (2.75″x4.75″)	34 cards/deck
Square size (2.5″x2.5″)	71 cards/deck
Mini size (1.61″x2.48″)	107 cards/deck

 

You can find out the optimal number of cards for different cardstock and size options above to make the most cost effective choice. Of course, if this cost-effectiveness would seriously affect the workability or playability of your deck, we recommend that you do not reduce the number of cards easily.

 

 

Printer Setting

 

1. Clean

After each usage and before each new use, we will give the printer a quick wipe down. The printer is then subjected to routine deep cleaning and maintenance to guarantee its continued good condition. Cleaning includes removing all plates, washing all cylinders, rollers, and fountains, and erasing all configuration data. All of these will guarantee a clean and tidy print job every time.

 

2. Install the plates

Each time we have a fresh print run, we have to re-clamp the four CMYK plates to the cylinders within the press since they are removed for cleaning. Since these setups require time and money, offset printing for short runs is prohibitively costly.

 

3. Printer Calibration

In order to ensure that the ink is applied evenly over the paper, our press operators utilize expert calibration software to tune the press for color grades, curves, density, and precision, as well as to determine the thickness and coating of the paper so that the ink will land on the paper correctly.

 

We'll be running the press at a slow pace during adjustments so that we can carefully examine the color and registration of the first printing plates. After we've finished calibrating, we'll crank up the pace and go into full production.

 

 

Flipping plate

 

Most design work requires double-sided printing. When a printer is done printing the front of a stack of cards, it must flip them over so that the backs may be produced. We generally use one of two flip methods, depending on the type of printed material and the desired result.

 

1. Work-and-back

This necessitates the use of at least two parent plates, one for the face and one for the rear. When switching from printing on one side to printing on the other, a new CTP plate is used. This is how our cards are typically produced, therefore any deck with a two-sided design will require at least two parent plates.

 

2. Work-and-turn

This indicates that the front and rear contents are on the same CTP plate and that after printing one side of the paper (on both the left and right sides), the paper is flipped horizontally (left and right) and the second side is produced. With this method, the CTP plate and calibration parameters of the press do not need to be replaced and adjusted.

 

We will cut the paper by the vertical mid-gauge line after printing to obtain two identical stacks of prints. In general, we produce our booklets in this manner (with the exception of folding booklets), therefore a double-sided booklet must have at least one parent plate.

 

 

Ink

 

Many millions of colors can be achieved by combining the four inks (CMYK) used in typical full-color printing. The inks will be released from their respective fountains (the containers that holds the ink) onto the plate, then onto the rubber blanket, and lastly onto the paper.

 

The fountain has a more intricate design than it seems at first glance, with several moving parts including rollers, cylinders, and a reservoir. Their respective functions are described below:

 

1. Fountain solution

As seen in the top image, the fountain solution consists of a water-based liquid stored in a blue container. The ink is repelled off the plate by the liquid, which flows onto the plate via water rollers.

 

2. Plate Cylinder

The plate cylinder will be coiled with four CMYK plates. The plates will be evenly covered in water and ink once the water and ink rollers have been rotated.

 

3. Offset Cylinder

The ink from the printing plate is transferred to the offset cylinder through a rubber blanket wrapped over its surface. Following this, the ink is transferred to the parent sheet by turning the offset cylinder.

 

4. Impression Cylinder

The sheet is fed under pressure through the imprint cylinder, which is placed at the bottom, by sliding two tiny rollers to the left and right.

 

The plate is printed with uniform ink coverage thanks to the coordinated rotation and pressure of the rollers and cylinders.

 

 

Prinect Color Control System

 

Our company pioneered the use of Heidelberg's Prinect color control technology, which has become the industry standard for consistent and reliable printing colors.

 

Print control strips on printed sheets may be automatically generated, positioned, and identified with this technology. Therefore, the print error between batches is no more than 2% even if the client makes modifications to the order in the midst of the run or reorders. This will save the processing and rework costs for you to a great extent.

 

 

In order to obtain nearly-perfect color, it also executes robust operations such as accurate color management, color comparison & calibration, auto-focus, and control strip tracking.

 

After following the instructions above, your project's printing is almost finished! To meet the turnaround time for mass manufacturing, the printing process as a whole will occur relatively rapidly after the first debugging phase.

 

While we understand your concern regarding printing, you can rest assured that our committed team of quality inspectors will thoroughly examine or sample check all printed sheets, to quickly identify and fix any issues that may arise along the press's run. Visit the "Quality Control" page to read more about our quality assurance procedures.