Goss M-600 Web Offset Press
Feature
Offset overview
Tony Curcio
Digital continues to grow , but offset holds its own . A look at five leading offset options .
Market research firm Smithers-Pira recently released a new study – The Future of Digital vs Offset Printing to 2022 . For offset OEMs , it was good news and bad news . The report predicted that digital will continue to grow in most sectors worldwide . In 2017 , it revealed , digital accounted for an estimated 16.4 % of global print and printed packaging in value terms – but only 3.9 % of volume . By 2022 , the report predicts , digital will be 19.1 % of value – but only 4.3 % of volume . So while digital continues to grow , offset still rules in terms of volume – and print quality . Here ’ s a glimpse at five of the world ’ s offset leaders . For this article , I selected specific models .
Goss M-600 Web Offset Press
Brothers Fred and Sam Goss founded the Goss Printing Press Company in Chicago in 1885 . Today , Goss International has an impressive legacy of industry firsts – including the first web offset press and the first newspaper press . And while the OEM does boast some of the world ’ s best packaging and newspaper presses , for purposes of this article I ’ m going to look at its M-600 Web Offset Press . This 16-page workhorse has been continually enhanced since it was introduced in 1992 . At up to 70,000 impressions per hour , its autoplate automatic platechanging option , ultra-fast makereadies and waste-reduction features make it ideal for short-run applications . When you factor in multiple configuration possibilities , several folding and inline finishing options , automatic blanket adjustment , and a highperformance inking and dampening system , you can see why it ’ s so popular with both publication and commercial printers .
One particularly impressive feature is its ink train . Fifteen large-diameter rollers include three temperature-controlled oscillating rollers , three ink-form
Portion of Goss M-600 Web Offset Press
rollers , and a motorized temperature-controlled ink fountain roller . Bottom line : The M-600 produces high quality repeatable print , is highly automated , and is easy to operate and integrate into any workflow . It can print a wide range of products – from brochures and magazines to specialized items . Printers can even custom-design a system to meet their specific requirements , while having the flexibility to produce multiple formats .
Speaking of continuous enhancements , Goss is now offering a permanent upgrade to its M-600 bladder-actuated plate cylinders . This patent-pending solution operates using air cylinders to open and close the reel rod . It ’ s 100 % retrofittable on existing bladder-actuated cylinders . All the operational parts are outside the cylinder ’ s body and can be replaced without removing it . Since there are no changes to the printing plate or operator interface , this upgrade can be done on a single cylinder .
32 | February 2018 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE graphicartsmag . com