Teaching prepress to pressroom

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Yes, I know.

[G_Town]

That's why i said go above him he will NOT listen I have dealt with assholes just like him I had the evidence plates, readings, files,  log books to show repeatability and the shit for brains would still march in with a press sheet with a "I just smelled something really bad" look on their face.

You aren't going to convince these types ever. I learned early on to attach myself to the highest monkey in the tree and make them my ally so that when these dumbfucks tried there shit I'd glance at the owner ad he ask me if everything checks out ok, sometimes I had to actually show him, but when I said yes or he checked it out for himself he sent the dooshbags back out to the press to figure it out.

When I started at my current job EVERYTHING was prepresses fault now it's been reversed and ya know what the presses run a lot better now that they aren't allowed to just throw up  their hands and say "bad plates" you gotta remember pressman are like little kids they will try and get away with as much as they can so you gotta stay on them.

Document everything, read at least one plate per job set up a log for dot readings and processor readings that way when they come in you can show them how stable the process is.

Oh and the fact they don't check anything on the presses is really impossible to fathom, how about getting your plate vendor/press manufacurer to give you a list of everything that should be monitored on the press and present that to the higher ups, if they don't believe you they damn well better believe them.


whew I'm tired later!

[Aaron]

True that G_Town. Luckily I am in pretty good with the owner. And actually the PM has been in hot water these days with the owner. I don't fear going to the owner. I keep a log of the plates I read, lot #'s, and I keep the conductivity of the processor steady everyday. I have the upper hand. Just want to be the bigger person... not sure why...

Thanks for the advise fellas. I'm using your analysis Earendil!  :laugh:

[tapdn]

Fact is you're bullshitting now aren't you E, huh?? :rolleyes:

[jason]

What I'm trying to do it convey to the Plant Manager why a 50% screen shouldn't read a 50% when measuring dot area on the press sheet.

The first time I talked to the my Shop Owner, Production Manager and Lead Pressman about that, they looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my eyes.

I think you are doing the right thing by bringing in outside help such as Kodak.

One thing I learned a long time ago that I have never forgotten, "We print dots, not solids"

[Aaron]

Yeah outside input is going to be my only hope (other than going to the owner which is still risky). Since he's been in printing for over 30 years, he's not going to believe a whipper-snapper like me with only 10 years of printing experience even if I could explain it brilliantly.

[beermonster]

neh - press wont get it - only prepress we taught here was how to make a plate from ctp system, and that aint exactly rocket science

[Chelle]

It's CLOSE to rocket science at our place w/the new system. They showed 'em how to do it once and one night when I worked late one of the guys came in THINKING he needed a plate. Thank God I was there. He goes in plate room then comes over to me asking if I could make him a plate because he wasn't sure he remember how. I look the job over and told him he didn't NEED the magenta plate. :rolleyes:

[beermonster]

k - which plate did he need?

[Chelle]

None. It was a pick-up job and he HAD all the plates he needed. :laugh:

[beermonster]

kgotcha

[Chilbear]

I had to have this explained in the very beginning of CTF. We outputted linear and a bump version of Adobe standard photos and proofed both.

The linear was flat looking (no shit sherman) but "correct" and the bump "looked" better. Perhaps try this test and let the powers "see" without the techo babble. It is only 8 plates and about 2 hours time.

When our QMDI was installed it was curved to match the older Komori with 18% gain so they matched but as time moved on we moved the curve flatter and the client noticed the "improvement" and the world continued to rotate.

[Aaron]

Isn't it amazing that from the beginning of time prepress and pressroom have never seen eye to eye. How did this start? Or is it just ego? Can't change that.

[G_Town]

While it's true that there is a natural animosity between the two departments it can be minimized by having both managers concerned more about getting the job done than winning a pissing contest.

The old timers (from my experience) are the worst at this.

[beermonster]

get on well with press here really - they are 'of a kind" - aint we all tho eh