Litho

For handling large quantities, our lithographic presses are still the champions of printing efficiency. These machines use etched aluminium plates from our Computer to Press (CtP) studio, which are coated with ink repeatedly to produce thousands of copies for your orders.

The key to keeping our litho stream as efficient as possible is by "ganging up" jobs. Depending on their size, we can group between 10 to 20 pieces of artwork on just one plate. Our workflow software carefully monitors all incoming orders to find compatible jobs that make the most economical use of our resources.

This particular printing stream is largely responsible for long-run orders of flat and folded items, including:

•  Flat flyers
•  Folded leaflets
•  Posters
• Business Cards
• Business stationery

Occasionally, our Heidelberg team also uses these presses to produce long-run booklet inners and some unfinished sheets.

Our Litho Presses

Scroll down to find out more about each individual litho press that powers our production:

Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 (x2)

We're committed to having the best equipment in our factory, and the Speedmaster XL 106 truly is the king of litho efficiency. Our production team broke several internal records when we first installed one in 2017. It performed so well that we went ahead and bought another in 2019 to break even more records!

One of the biggest time-savers with this machine is its automation. Historically, the time spent "making ready" (setting up) for new jobs was a major drawback in litho production, but that's not an issue for the XL 106. As a Speedmaster, it was one of the first litho presses capable of changing jobs fully automatically. In fact, Heidelberg claims it takes less than three minutes for the XL 106 to print the last sheet in one run and start the first good sheet in another. That's incredible speed and efficiency!

Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 102

This CX102 provides us with the high-quality, high-speed printing we expect from a Speedmaster, but it gives us crucial flexibility for producing bespoke and luxury work. Running as a 6-colour conventional press, we can print using standard CMYK inks and also have the option for two additional spot colours. This opens up exciting possibilities for us to print with white ink or specific Pantone colours, which is perfect for brand accuracy or unique designs.

As a B1 sheet-fed press, it allows us to print onto a variety of bespoke and luxury materials as standard. Our CX102 is most suited for these specialised and premium jobs, complementing our XL106s, which handle our high-efficiency commercial print runs.

Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75

Our Speedmaster XL 75 is our only B2 litho press, but it's packed with all the automated features of the Speedmaster range. It's worth mentioning that automation not only saves us time but also makes us more economical with resources. For example, its automated, pre-programmed wash sequences ensure we use only the exact amount of water and detergent needed, reducing waste.

We've actually recently upgraded our XL 75 to make it even more efficient. Our B2 press now uses LE UV inks like our B1 presses. These inks are cured instantly after printing, making them touch-dry in just seconds and saving us a significant amount of time in the production process.

Supporting Technology

Nela Automatic Plate Bender

Before printing any orders, our litho presses need their aluminium plates prepared. This involves etching the artwork onto them, but each plate also needs to be bent slightly in a very precise way to clip onto the presses. This used to be a manual task for us, but the Nela Automatic Plate Bender saves us a lot of time. We can now produce 144 plates per hour on one machine, which is far more efficient than manually bending 124 an hour using two of our previous benders.

Each press has unique plate bending requirements, so our Nela Plate Bender was custom-made specifically for the presses in our factory and for our way of working. Using a barcode system, the Nela automatically groups plates by job – making the lives of our press operators so much easier and ensuring accuracy.

Understanding and Addressing Common Litho Complaints 

While we pride ourselves on high-quality litho printing, it's good to be aware of common issues that can sometimes arise in any printing process. Knowing these will help you understand client concerns and explain our solutions.

1. Colour Inconsistency/Shifts:

• What it is: Printed colours don't perfectly match the original artwork, or there's a slight variation in colour across a print run.
• Why it happens (general): Can be due to subtle fluctuations in ink density, paper absorption, or environmental factors (like temperature/humidity) on press.
• Our approach: We have highly skilled professionals who are experts in colour management. They meticulously calibrate our equipment, use advanced colour profiling, and continuously monitor print runs to maintain consistency. Providing clients with clear CMYK artwork and specific Pantone references (if applicable) is crucial here.

2. Scumming / Ink in Non-Image Areas:

• What it is: Ink appearing in areas that should be blank (non-image areas) on the print. It can look like a faint tint or random ink spots.
• Why it happens (general): This often relates to an imbalance between ink and water on the press, or issues with the plate's ability to repel ink in non-image areas. It can also be caused by dust or debris.
• Our approach: Our modern presses like the Speedmasters have highly automated systems for controlling ink and water balance. Our operators are trained to spot and correct this immediately. We also maintain a clean pressroom environment to minimise dust.

3. Hickeys / Spots or Imperfections:

• What it is: Small, often solid dots or rings (sometimes with a halo) appearing on printed areas.
• Why it happens (general): Caused by dust, fibres from the paper, dried ink particles, or other debris sticking to the plate or blanket during printing.
• Our approach: We employ rigorous cleaning protocols for our presses and plates. Our LE UV inks, used on our upgraded XL 75, also help as they cure instantly, reducing the chance of wet ink picking up debris.

4. Dot Gain:

• What it is: Printed dots appearing larger than they should be, leading to darker, less defined images, especially in halftones.
• Why it happens (general): Ink spreading slightly on the paper, or excessive pressure on press.
• Our approach: Our modern presses allow for very precise control of ink film thickness and pressure. Our pre-press team also accounts for expected dot gain during file preparation to ensure the final output is accurate.

5. Picking / Plucking:

• What it is: Small pieces of paper coating or fibres lifting off the paper and sticking to the blanket or plate, leaving unprinted spots on the sheet.
• Why it happens (general): Can be due to the paper stock itself (some are more prone) or ink that's too tacky for the paper's surface strength.
• Our approach: We use high-quality paper stocks that are suitable for litho printing. Our operators carefully manage ink tack and press settings to minimise this issue.

6. Misregistration / Blurring:

• What it is: The different CMYK colour plates (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) not aligning perfectly, resulting in a blurred or fuzzy image, especially noticeable around text or fine lines.
• Why it happens (general): Incorrect plate alignment, paper stretch, or press settings.
• Our approach: Our highly automated presses, particularly the Speedmasters, excel in precise registration. Features like the automatic plate bender ensure plates are perfectly prepared and positioned, drastically reducing the chance of misregistration.

By understanding these potential issues and, more importantly, knowing how our equipment and expert team work to prevent and resolve them, you can confidently explain our litho capabilities to our clients and reinforce Route1Print's commitment to quality.