Unit 1 : Introduction to Sheetfed Offset Presses
1.1 – Principles of Lithography and offset printing.
1.2 – Units of offset machine – Feeding unit, Printing unit and Delivery unit.
1.3 – Configuration and Structure of Sheetfed Presses: Single color, Multi color and convertible presses.
1.4 – Type of Presses: Inline Press, Stack Press, Blanket-to-Blanket Press and Common Impression cylinder Press.
Unit 2 : Sheet Control and Delivery in Offset Press
2.1 – Types of Feeders – Friction feeders and Suction feeders, Types of Suction Feeders – Single sheet feeder and Stream Feeder.
2.2 – Feeder Head Components – Feeder Head, Air blast Nozzle, Rear Pickup Suckers, Forwarding Pickup Suckers, Sheet Steadiers, Separator Brushes and fingers. Feed board elements – metal wheel, rubber tyred wheel, brush wheels, tapes and ball smoothener.
2.3 – Sheet Registering Devices – Front lay and Sidelay, Types of Front lay and Side lay. Sheet detectors – double sheet, no sheet and cross sheet detectors.
2.4 – Sheet Insertions Devices – Swing arm, Rotary, Tumbler and Overfeed Grippers.
2.5 – Delivery Section – Delivery Assist Devices, Suction Slow down Rollers, Blow downs, Wedges, Skeleton Wheels, Star Wheels and Anti set-off devices.
2.6 – Make ready operations in offset printing machines and Safety precautions in press room.
Unit 3 : Printing Unit in Offset Press
3.1 – Construction and functions of Plate Cylinder, Blanket Cylinder,
Impression Cylinder, Transfer Cylinder and Delivery Cylinder.
3.2 – Types of Blankets: Conventional blanket and Compressible
blanket.
3.3 – Inking System – Construction, Roller setting methods: Form Roller to Oscillator and Form Roller to Plate.
3.4 – Inking System Problems – Roller Streaks and Glazed Rollers.
3.5 – Dampening System – Construction, Composition of Dampening Solution – pH, Conductivity and Dampening system Roller setting. Types of Dampening System: Conventional or Intermittent, Continuous dampening system and Dahlgren dampening system.
Unit 4 : Webfed Offset Press – Infeed and Web Guiding Devices
4.1 – Historical development of webfed offset presses. Types of Reel Stands – Single reel stands, Double reel stands and Three reel stands.
4.2 – Automatic Splicers – Zero Speed Paster ,Working Principle and function of Zero Speed paster, Purpose of Festoon. Flying Paster – Working Principle and function of Flying paster.
4.3 – Web Control – Dancer Roller, Metering Roller, Box Tilt, Web break detectors and Bustle Wheel.
Unit 5 : Webfed Offset Press – Delivery Unit
5.1 – Types of Dryers – Open flame, High Velocity Hot Air and
Combination Dryer, Chill Rollers – Early stage Chill rolls, Baffle plate Chill rolls and Jacketed Chill rolls.
5.2 – Types of Folders – Former folder, Double Former Folder, Jaw Folder, Chopper Folder, Combination Folder and Ribbon Folder.
5.3 – Auxiliary Equipments – Stackers, Bundlers, Sheeters, Perforators and Imprinters.
Text Book / Reference Book:
1. A Manual for Lithographic Press Operations – A.S. Porter
2. Handbook of Print Media – Dr. Helmut Kipphan.
3. Sheetfed Offset Press Operating – Lloyd P. Dejidas and Thomas M. Destree, GATF.
4. Offset Lithography – S. Jaganathan, K.T. Chary.
5. Web Offset Press Operating – Danial G Wilson, GATF.
6. Modern Lithography Printing – Ian Faux
