If you are a commercial printing press operator, you can’t escape acknowledging a basic understanding of offset printing blankets and the chemicals used at your venture. Their knowledge will help you enhance your production in a trouble-free manner as you will be providing high-quality printing jobs to your prospective clients.
Why offset printing blankets are crucial for any commercial printing press?
Offset printing blankets constitute a very crucial component of commercial printing supplies as this printing blanket is the last contact point between the press and the printed substrate.
The printing blanket will transfer the inked image from the plate to the substrate without any distortion. Selecting a good blanket is crucial if you want to optimize your print quality for your clients. Worse quality of the printing blanket will cost higher in terms of customer loss and more wastage.
What are the characteristics of offset printing blankets that you should look for?
On a quick look, many printing blankets will appear similar. However, numerous factors distinguish them, and you have to consider those when selecting the proper blanket for your printing application.
These are the physical properties that the printing blanket should possess:-
1) Easy cleaning
2) Durable
3) Easy installation
4) Easy removal
5) Good printing quality
6) Quick release
7) Identification mark and name of the blanket manufacturer and the style of blanket, including blanket gauge (thickness)
8) Size ( around x across)
9) Blanket style
10) Colour stripe is woven into the blanket fabric to indicate the direction the blanket should be mounted on the cylinder.
11) Blanket should come with the water and solvent resistant coating applied to the edges of the blanket to keep the moisture from penetrating the carcass of the blanket and prevent swelling and delamination.
To procure the best quality offset printing blankets, make sure that you buy them from a reputable manufacturer that promises to deliver fresh products with consistent quality on every delivery.
How to save your cylinder on high-quality sheet-fed offset printing presses?
Cylinder jackets are fitted to the litho impression cylinder to safeguard the cylinder on high-quality sheet-fed offset printing presses.
This jacket helps to absorb minor damage that occurred during painting so that the cylinder stays protected.
Cylinder jackets manufactured using high-quality raw material are best to provide the best quality steel for cutting and flexibility, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit in the die-cutting and litho impression.
Die-cutting plates and jackets are fitted to the press cylinders and beds in die-cutting and creasing applications.
Replacement impression cylinder jackets that are custom-made as per specification enable print ideally on multicolored presses. The hardwearing and efficient ink repelling surface enables printing on both sheet sides in a one print run.
Ceramic technology available in cylinder jackets helps you enjoy a robust, hardwearing, and efficient ink repellent surface as transfer jackets are a durable and anti-marking solution for transfer cylinders.
The full-thickness range is available in these printing jackets ranging from 10 microns tolerance to customized as per the undercut on the impression cylinder.
Winding up
If your printing press utilizes an impression cylinder jacket while looking for your commercial printing supplies, make sure the impression cylinder jacket can be easily replaced at a low cost. You might choose either the brass or the plastic option in the stainless steel impressions cylinder jacket. Whatever you choose, make sure that it suits your application.
