The following is an interview with Dave Dezzutti, Technology and Research Analyst, Center for Technology and Research, at Printing Industries of America. How confident are you that every job your company produces will render spot-on color (if 1 is “not a chance!” and 10 is “we’re color masters!”)? If you’re like most companies, you’re probably somewhere in the middle. According to past customers, the solutions our expert consultants provide directly raise their confidence in producing predictable color. In addition to color management, more than a dozen full-time and external consultants serve members and the industry in a variety of areas. (Read the interview with digital and offset consultant Keith Whistler.) As a consultant with the Center for Technology and Research since 2011, Dave Dezzutti, who’s also a G7® Certified Expert and trainer, explains how he has helped many companies both on site and off with their color management issues.  Q: What is your background in this field that has enabled you to become a successful consultant? Dave: I have been very fortunate in my career to have worked in a production capacity with a wide variety of equipment and procedures. Ultimately this helps me assess a company’s current situation and provide them with a road map to follow in the future. This information will assist them in being more productive, with less waste, and gain a sense of predictability with regard to quality and consistency. Q: What is your current role with our consulting team? Dave: My focus is on color management. With hands-on experience with three different workflow systems, nine RIPs, two CTP systems, and a variety of digital equipment, my G7® Expert certification permits me to consult at printing companies and qualify them to become G7® Master facilities. Q: What are some of the highlights from your consulting experiences? Dave: I get a wide perspective on current issues our industry is facing. For instance, I am still somewhat surprised at the lack of process controls at some companies. Color management will only work continuously providing there is a process controls implementation in place. Q: How do you help companies find solutions? Dave: As a third-party observer, some problems are easily exposed. People, by nature, are so ingrained in what they are producing that they sometimes lose track of procedures, like those in process controls, which enable them to catch errors in the production stream. By methodically assessing each step of the process, issues will inevitably surface, and I can recommend a corrective action. Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job? Dave: There is no greater feeling than when an owner says at the end of a consulting assignment, that they have never had this...

The following is an interview with Dave Dezzutti, Technology and Research Analyst, Center for Technology and Research, at Printing Industries of America. How confident are you that every job your company produces will render spot-on color (if 1 is “not a chance!” and 10 is “we’re color masters!”)? If you’re like most companies, you’re probably somewhere in the middle. According to past customers, the solutions our expert consultants provide directly raise their confidence in producing predictable color. In addition to color management, more than a dozen full-time and external consultants serve members and the industry in a variety of areas. (Read the interview with digital and offset consultant Keith Whistler.) As a consultant with the Center for Technology and Research since 2011, Dave Dezzutti, who’s also a G7® Certified Expert and trainer, explains how he has helped many companies both on site and off with their color management issues.  Q: What is your background in this field that has enabled you to become a successful consultant? Dave: I have been very fortunate in my career to have worked in a production capacity with a wide variety of equipment and procedures. Ultimately this helps me assess a company’s current situation and provide them with a road map to follow in the future. This information will assist them in being more productive, with less waste, and gain a sense of predictability with regard to quality and consistency. Q: What is your current role with our consulting team? Dave: My focus is on color management. With hands-on experience with three different workflow systems, nine RIPs, two CTP systems, and a variety of digital equipment, my G7® Expert certification permits me to consult at printing companies and qualify them to become G7® Master facilities. Q: What are some of the highlights from your consulting experiences? Dave: I get a wide perspective on current issues our industry is facing. For instance, I am still somewhat surprised at the lack of process controls at some companies. Color management will only work continuously providing there is a process controls implementation in place. Q: How do you help companies find solutions? Dave: As a third-party observer, some problems are easily exposed. People, by nature, are so ingrained in what they are producing that they sometimes lose track of procedures, like those in process controls, which enable them to catch errors in the production stream. By methodically assessing each step of the process, issues will inevitably surface, and I can recommend a corrective action. Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job? Dave: There is no greater feeling than when an owner says at the end of a consulting assignment, that they have never had this...

On an offset press, every minute of downtime equals money lost. Being proactive with proper press maintenance—from blankets to roller settings to dampening systems––is the key to efficiency and profitability in your pressroom. Greg Workman, Technical Consultant/Pressroom and Bindery Supervisor, brings 34 years of industry experience to teach—both through classroom and hands-on training—tactical techniques for proper maintenance, troubleshooting, and efficiency in Extreme Offset: Troubleshoot, Control, Optimize. Here, Greg shares10 steps to achieve successful lithographic dampening: Give a sample of your water to your dampening solution manufacturer for analysis. This sample will provide information for selecting the correct dampening solution and alcohol substitute chemistry for your dampening system and your plant’s water characteristics. Discuss your printing operation with your chemical supplier. Be specific about press models, dampening systems, inks, roller washes, blanket washes, and types of paper to make sure that they are totally compatible. Check dampening roller pressure settings and durometer readings. This should include inking and dampening form rollers. Make sure plate-to-blanket pressure is also set properly. Follow the manufacturer’s mixing instructions. If the instructions recommend mixing between 3 and 8 oz. of solution with each gallon of water, start with the minimum of 3 oz. Take a pH/conductivity reading and record the information as a starting point reference. Run this mixture of dampening solution and monitor its printability. For example, how does the plate roll up? How does the press start up after feeder trips? Does the plate run clean and open without feeding excess amounts of dampening solution? Communicate this information back to the dampening solution manufacturer. Observe the scum line.Whenin perfect ink-and-water balance, an ink scum line will form on the lead edge of the plate. It will be thin and even (visually about the width of a lead pencil line) spanning from the operator’s side to the gear side of the press. Check it often. When the line disappears, the dampening water setting is too high. When the scum line thickens, the dampening water setting is too low. Check your dampening solution regularly. Paper coating, ink bleed, and blanket and roller cleaners can contaminate dampening solution. Take temperature, pH, and conductivity readings after every three hours of press operation. Record these readings in the press logbook. Keep the solution at the mixture you have found works best. Observe the changes in pH and conductivity as the pressrun continues. When they reach a point where printing problems begin, such as plugging or scumming, the dampening solution is probably contaminated. Record your finding in the press logbook and mix a fresh batch of solution. Drain and clean your dampening system weekly. Check and service the refrigeration system on your water circulation systems regularly (after 1,000 hours...

On an offset press, every minute of downtime equals money lost. Being proactive with proper press maintenance—from blankets to roller settings to dampening systems––is the key to efficiency and profitability in your pressroom. Greg Workman, Technical Consultant/Pressroom and Bindery Supervisor, brings 34 years of industry experience to teach—both through classroom and hands-on training—tactical techniques for proper maintenance, troubleshooting, and efficiency in Extreme Offset: Troubleshoot, Control, Optimize. Here, Greg shares10 steps to achieve successful lithographic dampening: Give a sample of your water to your dampening solution manufacturer for analysis. This sample will provide information for selecting the correct dampening solution and alcohol substitute chemistry for your dampening system and your plant’s water characteristics. Discuss your printing operation with your chemical supplier. Be specific about press models, dampening systems, inks, roller washes, blanket washes, and types of paper to make sure that they are totally compatible. Check dampening roller pressure settings and durometer readings. This should include inking and dampening form rollers. Make sure plate-to-blanket pressure is also set properly. Follow the manufacturer’s mixing instructions. If the instructions recommend mixing between 3 and 8 oz. of solution with each gallon of water, start with the minimum of 3 oz. Take a pH/conductivity reading and record the information as a starting point reference. Run this mixture of dampening solution and monitor its printability. For example, how does the plate roll up? How does the press start up after feeder trips? Does the plate run clean and open without feeding excess amounts of dampening solution? Communicate this information back to the dampening solution manufacturer. Observe the scum line.Whenin perfect ink-and-water balance, an ink scum line will form on the lead edge of the plate. It will be thin and even (visually about the width of a lead pencil line) spanning from the operator’s side to the gear side of the press. Check it often. When the line disappears, the dampening water setting is too high. When the scum line thickens, the dampening water setting is too low. Check your dampening solution regularly. Paper coating, ink bleed, and blanket and roller cleaners can contaminate dampening solution. Take temperature, pH, and conductivity readings after every three hours of press operation. Record these readings in the press logbook. Keep the solution at the mixture you have found works best. Observe the changes in pH and conductivity as the pressrun continues. When they reach a point where printing problems begin, such as plugging or scumming, the dampening solution is probably contaminated. Record your finding in the press logbook and mix a fresh batch of solution. Drain and clean your dampening system weekly. Check and service the refrigeration system on your water circulation systems regularly (after 1,000 hours...

You have probably heard by now that the 2013 Color Management Conference, December 7–10, in Phoenix is the event of the year for the latest on achieving predictable brand color. By attending this event, you will have access to the latest in cutting-edge technologies and techniques that can help you build profits.   We want to share some of the benefits you may not have heard that really make this event the icing on the cake of 2013! Here are the top 5 unique reasons why you should be in Phoenix for the Color Management Conference: #1 Real-World Color Success Stories Hear from big brand names like Kimberly-Clark, Kohl’s, and American Airlines as representatives discuss managing brand color across diverse media and when it might make sense to offload the responsibility for color management and ultimately a brand’s color integrity to a third-party organization. #2 Renowned Players Big names like Russell Brown! Sven Seger! Dr. Taz Tally! Russell Brown brings his Russell Brown Show to the Color Management Conference with, The Russell Brown Show: Live! You don’t want to miss this Emmy-award winner go on the journey through the history of Adobe Photoshop while providing tips and tricks for Photoshop users of any skill level. Sven Seger, Chief Creative Officer, North America, FutureBrand, takes attendees on a ride discussing the rebranding of the iconic logo for American Airlines. “Finding ways to modernize the brand, while tying its iconic heritage to its human qualities, was a challenging process,” says Seger. You don’t want to miss this though-provoking session.  And don’t miss the pre-conference session with  Dr. Taz Tally, who’s unique in his own right! He’s a world-renowned photographer, author, consultant, and instructor. This adventure seeker lives life to the fullest in Alaska, often traveling to ski in Utah and whale watch in Hawaii. Discover more adventure with Dr. Tally in his pre-conference photography shoot against a dazzling desert backdrop. #3 Information for All This conference’s three tracks—for designers and brand managers, print production folks, and standards experts (affectionately known as color “geeks”)— focus on specific needs in the color workflow. But did you know attendees can choose sessions from any of these tracks? So if you’re in production, feel free to jump on the Geek Track and learn about the latest ISO 12647 and 15339 standards updates. You’re a brand manager? Join a Production session on new proofing tech. It’s a virtual buffet of knowledge, so why not look at the Session Descriptions and create your own perfect conference for maximum ROI! #4 Hands-On Labs With the nine labs being presented at the Color Management Conference, attendees will get a hands-on experience with the latest in technology and techniques any...