Hall of Fame--Dedication in Many Forms

Like the social and political climate of the times, the 1960s also paved the way for change and the exchange of ideas in the commercial printing realm. The Web Offset Association gatherings turned into all-night talk sessions. Webcrafters had an ace in the hole in the form of Fritz Wildeman, who was pretty far ahead of the curve. Wildeman developed the magnetic packing gauge to more precisely control packing on plate and blanket cylinders. Moistening on the web was another early innovation—early web presses featured edge guides, and Webcrafters weakened the fibers in the paper with glycerin or another moistening agent, which allowed them to control quarter-folds more precisely.