If you are using a litho press, the press screen looks like this:
Pages to view:- the number of pages which are being fitted onto a single plate, regardless of
duplication. i.e. if you have 2 single sided leaves to be printed, and the plate contains 2 copies of
each page, then the pages to view is 4. If you are in manual mode you can override this figure
by entering a new figure, but it would probably better to change the pages to view override in the details window. Changing the figure here means that you will be asked how you want the plate
to be laid out (in the block layout window), but actually, very little checking is done by Printpak.
If subsequently you were to change back to automatic mode and recalculate, and your override
will be lost and will have to be done again.
Sheetwork passes (1 up):- the number of standard passes. This excludes work and turn or
tumble, and sheetwork passes with images duplicated on the plate. Again you can only enter this
figure directly if you are in manual mode. Reverting to automatic mode may lose your
amendment.
Sheets per 1 up pass:- This is the number of sheets handled for the '1 up ' standard passes of a
single copy. This can only be amended in manual mode and may revert if you switch back to
automatic.
Work & turn passes (both 1st and 2nd):- The number of work and turn passes (or work and
tumble - the calculation is the same). They can only be amended in manual mode and any
changed value may revert if you switch back to automatic.
Work & turn number up:- These are the duplication factors for the work and turn passes. If you
put a single front and a single back of a sheet on the same plate then there is no duplication and
the 'no. up' would be 1. If you had 3 identical fronts and 3 identical backs on the same sheet then
the 'no. up' would be 3. But if you had 2 different double sided sheets to print and you had the 2
different fronts and the 2 different backs all on the same plate, the 'no.up' would be 1 as there is
no duplication. These can only be amended in manual mode and any changed value may revert if
you switch back to automatic.
Sheetwork passes 2+up (both 1st and 2nd):- The number of passes for sheetwork (i.e. not
work and turn or work and tumble) with an image or images duplicated on the same plate. They
can only be amended in manual mode and any changed value may revert if you switch back to
automatic.
Sheetwork passes (both 1st and 2nd):- The number of times any one image will appear on a 2
up or more sheetwork plate. They can only be amended in manual mode and any changed value
may revert if you switch back to automatic.
Makeready(s):- This is the number of plate make-readies in all. This can only be amended in
manual mode and may revert if you switch back to automatic.
Washes:- This is the number of different colours to be washed as a result of doing this job. You
can override this figure here and what you enter will be retained and used in the calculation.
Runup per pass:- Run-up cycles are the machine cycles necessary to get ink onto the plate and
to produce a satisfactory first copy before the real run starts. You can specify a default figure
when defining the press, but here you can override the default. The ratio of the figure you enter
to the standard runup figure specified for this press will be remembered and applied to all
subsequent litho calculations involving until you re-select the presses. In other words say you
have two litho presses with normal runup quantities of 500 and 400 respectively. Say the
calculation selected the first litho press, but then you decided to override the 500 to 450. This is a
ratio of 0.9. The next time you calculate the job, when considering the runup for the second
press, it will use 0.9x400 = 360 cycles. So if you do change this figure, it might be as well to force
a complete re-evaluation of the options by exiting to the build-up window and pressing the
'calculate' button, as the balance of the job may have changed.
Speed (Cycles per hour or Metres per hour Cycles per hour or ):- This is the average speed
at which the press will be run. It can be configured by selecting light, medium or heavy running in
the details window, which correspond to the three running speeds in the press setup screen (in
resource management). You can also overwrite this figure here, and if you do so, as for the
runup per pass (see above) the same ratio will be applied to the speeds of any other litho presses
to be considered. So if you do change this figure, it might be as well to force a complete re-evaluation of the options by exiting to the build-up window and pressing the 'calculate' button, as
the balance of the job may have changed.
Total Runup:- This is the runup per pass multiplied by the number of passes.
Run hours:- The time taken for running the job, including the runup cycles
Make-ready hours:- The initial setup minutes plus the make-ready time for all plates.
Wash-up hours:- The washup time per colour (from the press record) times the number of
washes.
W/t rest hours:- The time the press will stand idle waiting for the ink to dry between the two parts
of any work and turn (or tumble) passes.
Total hours:- The overall time that this press will be occupied for this job component.
When you press OK, if you are in manual mode and you have changed anything in this
window, the job will recalculate, using your changes.
