Autoprint is reported to have cancelled their plans for a 20 x 30 inches offset machine.
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on May 27, 2010
Gallantic Offset Machines
As far as India is concerned, I feel that the only true competitor to Autoprint or Swift companies would be Gallantic from Gujarat. In some ways the machines produced by Gallantic is superior to the other companies due to their inbuilt automatic dampening system. The price of the machines is also very competitive especially compared to Autoprint whose machines are known for their high price. Gallantic has recently developed their indigenous dampening system even further with the introduction of Galmatic dampening system which is a copy of the world renowned Crystalline Dampening system. This dampening system further enhances their machine capacity especially with regard to four color printing in single color machines. But there are news that Gallantic is also planning to come out with a two color and four color machine in the near future. Gallantic single color machines cost under Rs. 3,00,000/- for the 15×10 inches; under Rs. 3,50,000 for A3 size machine and under Rs. 4,50,000 for their 15×20 size machine. All machines come with inbuilt automatic dampening system. There are many advantages with the automatic dampening system as there is no possibility of scum appearing on the printed sheets. The prints are also glossier and there is minimum wastage of paper. Ink consumption also comes down as the sheets are printed with a thinner coating of ink. Problem of printing solids in small machines is also removed and there are less problems in printing which the machines of Autoprint or Swift or any other company in India cannot provide. There is an exception to this as Autoprint does provide automatic dampening system as an option in their machines but you would have to pay a hefty amount of around Rs.1,20,000 extra for that. The reason being that their Kompac automatic dampening system is imported from USA and not indigenously manufactured like Gallantic. The downside of Gallantic machines is the machine structure which is quite light compared to Autoprint. But if you have prompt service available from Gallantic in your region then there is not much of a problem.
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on February 19, 2010
Autoprint’s 20 x30 inches Offset Machine
Autoprint is reported to be planning on launching a 20 inches x 30 inches single color offset machine. This will help them move from being a munufaturer of only mini offset machines. The policy change is due to the falling demand of small size machines all over the world. There is a great shift from single color jobs to multicolor ones everywhere and hence the fall in demand. Moreover the success of digital printing is replacing many mini offset machines.
Posted under Offset Printing, Uncategorized
This post was written by admin on October 2, 2009
Cost of a Four Color Job in India
Below is the summary of the cost for a four color job of size 18″x 23″:
Film if you have an imagesetter – 18×23 = 414 square inch = Rs. 1.5 x 414 = Rs 621/- for film output
Plate – 4 plates x Rs. 110 approx. = Rs. 440/-
Plate Exposure and Developing = 4 x Rs.50 = Rs. 200/-
Ink for 3000 impressions – Rs.50 x 4 colors = Rs. 200/-
Total cost excluding labor cost, rent and machine depreciation = Rs.621 + Rs.440 +Rs.200 + Rs. 200 = Rs.1461/-
Salary for a typical machine operator will be around Rs. 16,000/- and around 3 or 4 helpers will be required whose salary might range between Rs. 3000/- to Rs. 4000/-.
Machine depreciation will depend on the type of machine that you want to use
Rent will be according to the rates prevailing in your area.
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on August 4, 2009
Autoprint’s New Four Color Printing Machine
During the recent Print Pack 2009, Autoprint displayed their new innovation – the Dion 450, a four color printing machine from Autoprint’s own stable. The Dion 450 is a single crown size (15″x20″) printing machine. It is not so automated like other imported machines in India as automation is not so necessary here compared with the additional cost that will fall upon the machine price. The machine comes with the Kompac dampening system on all four units and a powder spary at the delivery end. There are sensors to stop the machine in case of paper jam on any of the blankets. The whole machine is pneumatically controlled and there are no levers for the inking or dampening process. The printing quality is quite nice and with some training any experienced operator should be able to run the machine with ease. On the whole, I would say it is a very good machine with respect to its price and performance ratio. The basic price of the machine is 33,00,000 (Thirty three lakhs).
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on February 1, 2009
Kompac Dampening System
The three roller Kompac Dampening that we use in our Autoprint machine has taken our color printing at another level. Printing of solids and other complicated jobs proved to be quite a disaster previously. The conventional dampening with cloth is not at all advised while going for color. This dampening causes huge color shifting from sheet to sheet and scum is also a problem. The Kompac II with the color mate removes these problems. As for now we don’t have any scum problem in the printing and sheets dry quicker. Color shifting from sheet to sheet has also been greatly reduced and we don’t have problem printing of solid areas even though our machine has only two ink form rollers. The stress that the machine operator used to have has also been reduced. Now there is quick ink and water balance in the machine. The dampening system is compatible with all Autoprint 15×20 machines. The price from Autoprint is around Rs. 120,000/-
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on September 5, 2008
Dot Gain
Dot gain is a phenomenon that happens when the size of a printed dot increases during the printing process. This cause the quality of the final printed matter to be distorted with respect to color. To a large extent this can be controlled after careful monitoring of the whole process of printing. A densitometer will be required to predict dot gain more accurately. Dot gain is controlled better in a CTP process than in a film to plate process. During plate exposure and processing there can be dot loss instead of dot gain if the plates are over exposed. In the Technova Polyjet system there can be dot gain or loss in the film if the ink density adjustment is not accurate in the Epson printer. At our press we use a ink density setting of 40 percent for 1440×1440 dpi at 125 lpi using a linearization file for 125 lpi.
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on September 5, 2008
Saving Files
After a file has been designed and completed, it is to be saved in TIFF format in Photoshop at 300 dpi in CMYK mode for commercial printing. Various profiles may be used to reduce dot gain in printing. For web offset printing 150 dpi may be sufficient though some web offset printing may go up to even 250 dpi. Dpi (dots per inch) as a rule has to be about twice the lpi (lines per inch). Sheet fed offset printing is normally done in 150 or 175 lpi. Therefore it needs about 300 dpi files. Web offset on the other hand is done in about 75 lpi to 100 lpi so they may need only about 150 to 200 dpi files. However all files have to be in CMYK mode.
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on September 4, 2008
Scanning At The Right Resolution
Most commercial printers print at 300 dpi which is suitable for 150 to 175 lpi. So in order to get a photo printed at 300 dpi the final resolution of the photo after resizing should not be less than 300 dpi. When you resize a photo after scanning the dpi increases or decreases depending on whether the photo is scaled down or scaled up. That is unless you re-sample the photos in Photoshop by clicking the re-sample button. Re-sampling up is not advised unless absolutely necessary and even then the photos should not be re-sampled up more than 10 percent otherwise the quality will deteriorate. Re-sampling down is alright but should be done after the image has been finally edited.
Now if suppose a 7×5 inches photo is to printed at 300 dpi then we have to scan the photo at 300 pixels per inch. However if the photo is to be enlarged to 14 x 10 inches then 300 pixels would not be sufficient as when the size is increased the dpi will go down, in this case, to 150 dpi. So in order to maintain the same dpi the pixels have to be increased. A 14 x 10 inches photo at 300 dpi requires 4200 x 3000 pixels (14×300 = 4200, 10 x 300 = 3000). To get this pixels the 7 x 5 inches photo has to be scanned at 600 pixels per inch ( 4200/7 = 600, 3000/5 = 600).
As a rule when the photo is going to be resized at twice the length and twice the breadth the pixels have to be doubled. So scanning resolution of 300 ppi becomes 600 ppi when the length and breadth of the scanned picture are to be doubled.
Posted under Digital Printing, Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on August 31, 2008
Macro Print Offset Machines
Macro is another mini offset printing machine company based in Coimbatore, India. The first machine that we bought five years back was from them – the 15×20 Macro Deluxe model. We are still using it. During the course of these five years we had to change some parts such as dampening roller and the plate clamp. We have found the machine to be quite sturdy and reliable. It has 11 inking rollers and two form rollers. Some four color jobs can still be run on it and there is no registration problem. The cost of the machine comes under Rs. 500,000/- It does not need a stabilizer like some other machines. and there is no problem running it on generator power.
Some of the draw backs of the machine is that it is a two cylinder machine and scum is a constant problem. One person has to sit on the back where the plate is and keep on wiping the plate from time to time. Another problem with the deluxe model is that it has a motorized feeder table lifting. The problem with this is that the machine operator has to manually press the table lifting button from time to time as the auto lifting function is very difficult to adjust without stopping the machine. All this hampers the production and thus the day’s total number of impressions may come down.
It seems that Macro is not too keen on improving their offset section. Instead it has gone for manufacturing of thermal lamination machines which has become very successful and they received good responses for this even during Drupa 2008.
Visit their website at www.macroprintindia.com
Posted under Offset Printing
This post was written by admin on August 30, 2008
