Digital press operators oversee the printing process, adjusting controls and settings, ensuring proper ink coverage, and troubleshooting issues. They manage workflow, maintenance, and crew supervision in the publishing and printing industry, which has become more computerized with the development of digital presses.
Modern technology has brought many industries into a more computerized workflow, and that includes the publishing and printing industry. While offset printing remains a thriving business, the development of the digital press has brought new possibilities to the industry. A digital press operator is the backbone of the operation. A digital press operator’s job is to operate a digital press to produce a variety of printed materials. Other tasks often include maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and crew supervision.
In digital printing, there are no printing plates to configure. The process is much faster and more efficient than traditional printing processes. Customers expect a quick turnaround on a quality product. Digital press operators often work to tight deadlines to produce short runs of a wide variety of print jobs for a wide variety of clients.
A digital press operator oversees the printing process for various types of literature and art. This process begins with the printer operator becoming familiar with the specifications for the job at hand. Based on specifications provided for a job, the digital press operator adjusts controls and settings as appropriate. The printer operator must ensure that the proper paper material is chosen and correctly loaded and that the ink is filled. Once these things are done, the work is started via the computer interface.
The digital press operator ensures that the job prints correctly. This includes monitoring for proper ink coverage, color, registration, and consistency. When problems are observed, the printer operator should stop work and make adjustments to the digital file or machine. Many designers and graphic artists submit “camera ready illustrations”, so sometimes there is a compatibility issue. Artwork produced or scanned in RGB – Red, Green and Blue format will not be true to design if the digital press format is CMYK – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. The digital press operator must identify these format differences and resolve them before a job is printed to save expense and customer frustration.
The operator of the digital press is generally responsible for ensuring the proper maintenance and operation of the digital press. Most repairs are handled by the manufacturer, but in some cases, minor repairs may be the responsibility of the printer operator. A digital press operator manages the workflow of print jobs and staff through the use of proper scheduling, inventory and ordering of materials and post-press production. In many small operations, the printer operator may also be responsible for some of these processes, including sewing, stapling, binding, folding, cutting and packaging. It is also the job of the printer operator to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
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