Web Offset: Shorter Runs, Technology Innovations Enable Competitiveness in a New Print World

Basically, the Automatic Transfer (AT) system enables an eight-unit web press to continue printing one job on four of its units while makeready proceeds for the next job on the other four units. The changeover from job to job is accomplished while the press is running at production speed. This technology increases the initial cost of a printing system, of course. But this initial outlay can be recouped through savings in makeready times. For example, a print shop with an average run of 50,000 copies may do an average of a dozen makereadies each day, with each process requiring 20 minutes. If these separate makereadies can be eliminated, the daily savings is roughly four hours.