TAGA’s Annual Technical Conference is where the latest in global technological research and development for the printing and graphic arts industry is presented. The environment here is alive with active discussion on what’s new, innovative, and has the most impact in our industry. If you want to be the first to know what technologies will be emerging and changing the way we operate, this is the forum to attend. Attendees experience technical presentations from business leaders, scientists, academics, and professionals, and all are full of excitement as new ideas and solutions are revealed after months or even years of development. Some of the brightest minds in the industry, including students, research scientists, engineers, and the world of academia converge here for three days of dissertations, learning, and some serious networking. Take a look at what you can expect from the 66th TAGA Annual Technical Conference, happening March 23–26, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Innovations That Rock the Industry Conference presentations provide insight into the future of the industry, making them highly valuable if you want to be an early adopter of the technologies. Presenting companies highlight their research and technology to their peers. Keynotes gather from leading companies around the world. In 2013 the conference welcomed top minds from Heidelberg, Landa Digital Printing, Kodak, and many other organizations and universities. Two types of papers are presented. Scientific Papers are based on emerging science, technology, and the application of all forms of graphic technology and printing processes. Technical Innovation Papers cover topics where a broad technology perspective is needed, focusing on issues that are current to the industry and critical to its development. Abstracts are submitted, and the top papers are chosen for presentation. More information can be found in the 2014 Call for Papers (PDF download). Intelligent Idea Swapping It’s impossible not to learn something in a room concentrated with intense intellect. This conference attracts a diverse group of professionals and students who come together from around the world to discuss industry innovations. Attendees have the opportunity for unparalleled networking. At next year’s event in Fort Worth, Texas, expect to make connections in both quality and quantity. Student Involvement Few other technology-centered events promote such strong student participation. Eager college students conduct research and can present the results of those projects during the student portion of the conference. These student papers and journals add great value to their future careers and can even earn them awards, as the TAGA Board of Directors judges all student papers. TAGA Past President Paul Cousineau described student members as, “The best and brightest students in our industry and our up-and-coming stars.” Find out more about TAGA Student membership. Learn more about TAGA and...
5 Best Bets for Your Offset Press: If you can’t Measure it, you can’t Control It!
In an ideal pressroom environment, nothing would go wrong and you’d get consistently accurate jobs from your offset press. Unfortunately, we don’t work in this imaginary perfect pressroom. As a result we sometimes end up wasting materials and losing time. Your best bet is to learn more and be prepared to handle problems the moment they arise. There are useful training and education tools available that will help you stop wasting and start earning more profits. If you wish you had an expert on hand who can tell you how to handle these types of problems, you actually do! We’ve pulled advice together from one of our onsite experts, Lloyd DeJidas, Director, Graphic Services and Facility Manager, Printing Industries of America, for Five Best Bets for Your Offset Press: When troubleshooting on a lithographic process, first and most importantly, be sure to accurately identify the problem. I see many printers resorting to excuses like “These inks should run on any stock,” or “We don’t have time to test things,” rather than trying to identify the root cause. When you know the problem, you can find a solution and help avoid a future incident. Determine all possible causes of the problem, such as press, materials, or human error. Ask what has changed and quickly organize your data to verify potential causes. Analyze the plate scum line and determine if you have the proper ink and water balance. The scum line will tell you if your: Skewing roller is set properly Metering roller is performing well Dampening system is even from side to side Get an accurate measurement of fountain solution, blankets, and rollers. With the many interactions and variables on the offset press, you need to have the right instruments: Meters measuring p/H and conductivity assure that the fountain solution has been mixed properly and will indicate when the fountain solution has become contaminated and should be changed to avoid print quality deterioration. A roller durometer indicates when the ink or dampening roller has become too hard, which could cause roller streaks. Regular measurements of the blanket with a packing gauge will indicate when a blanket has lost pressure due to compression set and needs repacked. Measurements with a dead weight micrometer confirm that the blanket has been made to proper specifications. Always remember: If you can’t measure it, you can’t control it! When a printing problem arises, determine the root cause by testing your paper and ink. These are some of the tests to perform: Inkometer readings measure if the ink tack sequence is correct for proper wet ink trapping. Grindometer measurents ensure that the paper has been milled properly. Calibrate abrasion testers indicate that the inks have set...
5 Best Bets for Your Offset Press: If you can’t Measure it, you can’t Control It!
In an ideal pressroom environment, nothing would go wrong and you’d get consistently accurate jobs from your offset press. Unfortunately, we don’t work in this imaginary perfect pressroom. As a result we sometimes end up wasting materials and losing time. Your best bet is to learn more and be prepared to handle problems the moment they arise. There are useful training and education tools available that will help you stop wasting and start earning more profits. If you wish you had an expert on hand who can tell you how to handle these types of problems, you actually do! We’ve pulled advice together from one of our onsite experts, Lloyd DeJidas, Director, Graphic Services and Facility Manager, Printing Industries of America, for Five Best Bets for Your Offset Press: When troubleshooting on a lithographic process, first and most importantly, be sure to accurately identify the problem. I see many printers resorting to excuses like “These inks should run on any stock,” or “We don’t have time to test things,” rather than trying to identify the root cause. When you know the problem, you can find a solution and help avoid a future incident. Determine all possible causes of the problem, such as press, materials, or human error. Ask what has changed and quickly organize your data to verify potential causes. Analyze the plate scum line and determine if you have the proper ink and water balance. The scum line will tell you if your: Skewing roller is set properly Metering roller is performing well Dampening system is even from side to side Get an accurate measurement of fountain solution, blankets, and rollers. With the many interactions and variables on the offset press, you need to have the right instruments: Meters measuring p/H and conductivity assure that the fountain solution has been mixed properly and will indicate when the fountain solution has become contaminated and should be changed to avoid print quality deterioration. A roller durometer indicates when the ink or dampening roller has become too hard, which could cause roller streaks. Regular measurements of the blanket with a packing gauge will indicate when a blanket has lost pressure due to compression set and needs repacked. Measurements with a dead weight micrometer confirm that the blanket has been made to proper specifications. Always remember: If you can’t measure it, you can’t control it! When a printing problem arises, determine the root cause by testing your paper and ink. These are some of the tests to perform: Inkometer readings measure if the ink tack sequence is correct for proper wet ink trapping. Grindometer measurents ensure that the paper has been milled properly. Calibrate abrasion testers indicate that the inks have set...
Industry Trends Report: Part 1—Monthly Sales
In this four-part series, we’ll take a look at how each indicator from the Monthly Conditions Dashboard is affecting your business based on the survey results from the past 11 months. Charts are also provided to show the trends in an easy-to-read format, so you can benchmark your current market conditions with hundreds of other printers. We watch the weather each morning to help us plan what to wear and if we’re taking our umbrella to work that day (and trust that the meteorologist is accurate!). You can find a reliable “economic weather report,” the Monthly Industry Conditions Dashboard*, which is an established industry market trends report from our Economic and Market Research department that provides the information to plan your business strategies each month. How does it all work? Survey respondents provide information in five principle areas—1) Monthly Sales, 2) Sales Expectations, 3) Profits, and 4) Print and Paper Prices. Current sales and profits are compared to the previous month. Printing prices and paper prices are current month compared to 12 months earlier. Sales expectations are expectations for next month compared to the current month. Respondents are asked to report the directional change of each of the five key indicators (increasing, decreasing, or no change). See how your sales compare with the industry below. Check back in two weeks for Part 2 of the series and find out where your sales are expected to go in 2013. The findings you will read are based on March 2013 calculations using a net diffusion index, where the percentage of respondents reporting an increase is subtracted from the percentage of respondents reporting a decrease. The net diffusion index provides a simple snapshot of printers’ market perceptions for each variable. Part 1—Monthly Sales A look back over the past eleven months shows wide swings in printers’ monthly sales. With a high reading of 47.9% in October of last year and a low of –23.1% in December, and an eleven-month average of 10.8%. This 10.8% sales diffusion index reading is consistent with our quarterly findings of modest growth in 2012. The latest reading of 36.9 in March shows that printers’ sales generally trended higher in March, so the typical printer is experiencing modestly rising sales. As forecasted in our Charting a Path for 2013–2014 report, we expect stronger industry sales in the first quarter of 2013 and growth to taper off slightly throughout the year. Printing Industries of America members respond to the survey to uncover some of the key areas of their business to develop the Monthly Industry Conditions Dashboard from the Economic and Market Research department. With regular updates on current market trends, printers are better able to benchmark their...
Industry Trends Report: Part 1—Monthly Sales
In this four-part series, we’ll take a look at how each indicator from the Monthly Conditions Dashboard is affecting your business based on the survey results from the past 11 months. Charts are also provided to show the trends in an easy-to-read format, so you can benchmark your current market conditions with hundreds of other printers. We watch the weather each morning to help us plan what to wear and if we’re taking our umbrella to work that day (and trust that the meteorologist is accurate!). You can find a reliable “economic weather report,” the Monthly Industry Conditions Dashboard*, which is an established industry market trends report from our Economic and Market Research department that provides the information to plan your business strategies each month. How does it all work? Survey respondents provide information in five principle areas—1) Monthly Sales, 2) Sales Expectations, 3) Profits, and 4) Print and Paper Prices. Current sales and profits are compared to the previous month. Printing prices and paper prices are current month compared to 12 months earlier. Sales expectations are expectations for next month compared to the current month. Respondents are asked to report the directional change of each of the five key indicators (increasing, decreasing, or no change). See how your sales compare with the industry below. Check back in two weeks for Part 2 of the series and find out where your sales are expected to go in 2013. The findings you will read are based on March 2013 calculations using a net diffusion index, where the percentage of respondents reporting an increase is subtracted from the percentage of respondents reporting a decrease. The net diffusion index provides a simple snapshot of printers’ market perceptions for each variable. Part 1—Monthly Sales A look back over the past eleven months shows wide swings in printers’ monthly sales. With a high reading of 47.9% in October of last year and a low of –23.1% in December, and an eleven-month average of 10.8%. This 10.8% sales diffusion index reading is consistent with our quarterly findings of modest growth in 2012. The latest reading of 36.9 in March shows that printers’ sales generally trended higher in March, so the typical printer is experiencing modestly rising sales. As forecasted in our Charting a Path for 2013–2014 report, we expect stronger industry sales in the first quarter of 2013 and growth to taper off slightly throughout the year. Printing Industries of America members respond to the survey to uncover some of the key areas of their business to develop the Monthly Industry Conditions Dashboard from the Economic and Market Research department. With regular updates on current market trends, printers are better able to benchmark their...