Premium Commentary & Analysis
Offset lithographic presses have come a long way, but the offset lithographic process remains what it always has been. Optimizing the process with specially developed inks and chemistry has helped one plant achieve results so striking that they sometimes can be hard to believe. Patrick Henry looks at Midnight Oil, which has specialized in precisely this kind of impossible-dream offset lithographic printing for at least a decade.
Our mission is to provide cogent commentary and analysis about trends, technologies, operations, and events in all the markets that comprise today’s printing industry. Support our mission and read articles like this with a Premium Membership.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE
About Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry is a journalist and an educator who has covered the graphic communications industry since 1984. The author of many hundreds of articles on business trends and technological developments in graphic communications, he has been published in most of the leading trade media in the field. He also has taught graphic communications as an adjunct lecturer for New York University and New York City College of Technology. The holder of numerous awards for industry service and education, Henry is currently the managing director of Liberty or Death Communications, a content consultancy.
© 2024 WhatTheyThink. All Rights Reserved.
Discussion
By HARVEY LEVENSON on Aug 05, 2024
Patrick, I read your great article and terrific reporting on Midnight Oil.
If WTT's goal is to inform the printing industry that offset is alive, you contributed to that effort; the midnight story should be shared with every offset press manufacturer for them to share with their customers. There is no denying the digital, inkjet, electrophotographic, and specialty systems and inks, such as Landa and nanography are the processes of today and tomorrow. However, you made it absolutely clear that there's a role for offset in turning out high quality, long-run, full-color printing efficiently and economically.
Your article clearly points out that science continues to play an important role in the offset process. However, it can be learned. I am curious about the "exacting standards" and fountain solution and ink formations that Midnight Oil uses. I'm sure that it's all proprietary, but it does make it clear that with an understanding of science and standards, offset can continue being the process of choice under certain circumstances.
I am curious about how they explain zeroing in on the interaction between process inks and fountain solution on press. Mr. Tubbs makes clear that there are not a lot that changes from traditional offset printing. However, it appears that, perhaps, subtle changes are what makes a huge difference in attaining efficiency and quality.
I'm curious about the statement that when ink and dampening come together on the press, they eventually "tear each other apart." What does this mean? I'd also be curious to know what their density standards are for XYMCK.
A very important observation is that Midnight Oil uses old presses; a 2007 and 1999 offset presses. This does point out what many printers understand: that old presses often referred to as "heavy iron," live on indefinitely if maintained properly. This certainly represents huge savings over the years. Another impressive observation is that the company, using its offset systems, comes up to density within 400 sheets with makereadies that take about three minutes.
Another important revelation that your article brings out is that implementing systems and standards at Midnight Oil took a different mindset toward offset work. However, most of us know that companies sometimes resistant to such changes are locked in their ways and do not easily adapt to new ways of solving old problems.
I also agree with is the statement that "you can't have the guy on the next press wanting to put in his secret sauce." I recall in the many offset facilities in which I've done consulting over the years, one of the major problems is that during shift changes, each head press operator has their own preferences on settings, and changes with the previous head press operator's settings. This has been a tremendous source of problems in offset printing because of the number of variable that have ro be kept constant within tolerances.
The industry would likely be interested in knowing how Midnight Oil overcame these difficulties.
Congratulations, Patrick, on another excellent and well-written article.