Team Impression 4

Today was really busy, and really good. When I got in the proofs for Grafik had already been prepared and printed since about 5 am, such a quick turn around. But I did get to read the whole thing which was good! The proofs get digitally printed and mocked up, perfect bound and trimmed to get approved by the client. The mock up is done really well, apart from the cover it might as well be the actual thing. Another hi res proof is also done for colour matching purposes. I spent a bit more time sitting in on some repro jobs, included a spot colour that needed replacing.

I went down to the finishing department for a while and had an introduction into how the machines work for foiling, embossing and die cutting. It's amazing that the machines used to make these are actually letterpress machines that have been modified to do different jobs. The paper is picked up by suckers and spun round onto the bed. The bed then tilts up vertically and is pressed against the die. The die is made of magnesium and foiling and hardened steel for cutting and embossing. Magnesium is used because it transfers heat really well which makes the foil come off the roll and stick to the paper. The main issue with the machines is getting an even pressure across the bed and making sure that the overall pressure of the bed is right. It needs to be even to make sure that the finish is even across the design and the amount of pressure overall is different for the different jobs. For foiling is there isn't enough pressure then the foil won't come off clean and you'll get fuzzy edges, too much pressure will flatten the die as the magnesium is quite delicate. The cutting and embossing too little pressure and the cut won't go all the way through the paper and too much pressure the die will damage the bed as its hardened steel. It seems like theres a real sense of craft working in this department, the guys are really proud of their craft and the jobs they do.

I then managed to squeeze in a gap in the digital print room and got to print a few copies of my book. I really wish my photographs were a bit better as I think the resolution of them is the only thing that lets it down but overall I think it will look really good, I'll have to wait until next week for get it cut and stitched though.

In the afternoon I got to go down onto the print floor and spend some time with the litho guys. I already had a fairly limited idea of how a litho press works but I was completely unware of so much about it. The whole machine is amazingly intricate and beautifully made. Everything runs to a thousandth of a millimeter accuracy to get spot on results. I go to see plates being loaded onto the press, getting the paper flowing properly, changing over spot colours and cleaning out all the rollers before a new colour could go in. I also got an introduction into really colour calibration, LAB colour and how the presses should interact seamlessly with the repro department to ensure a measure of quality control on the presses. It's a real craftsmanship to work on a press and the guys are definately proud of what they do. They seemed really impresses that a young designer was taking an active interest in print and they said a vast majority of the problems they run into come from designers not having a clue what happens to the work inbetween them sending it off and getting back the finished thing. While certain improvements have been made to the presses to automate certain processes to save time the manufacture of the press has remained virutally unchanged since it was first created. I got the feeling that the press guys felt like parts of the automation has make people think that it's become an easy job thats not really hands on but in fact the job is still incredibly skills based and definately extremely hands on. I feel like there's a lot more skill involved working a press that 90% of the jobs people do.