Many industries, including publishing and printing, have adopted a more computerized workflow as a result of modern technology. Although offset printing has remained a thriving industry, the advent of the digital press has given the industry new possibilities. The backbone of the operation is a digital press operator. A digital press operator’s job entails operating a digital press to create a variety of printed materials. Maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and crew supervision are all common responsibilities.
There are no printing plates to set up in digital printing. Traditional printing processes are much slower and inefficient compared to this method. Customers expect a timely delivery of a high-quality product. Digital press operators frequently work under pressure to meet tight deadlines while producing short runs of a variety of print jobs for a variety of clients.
The process of printing various types of literature and art is overseen a digital press operator. The first step in this process is for the press operator to become familiar with the job specifications. The digital press operator adjusts controls and settings for an assignment based on the given specifications. The press operator must ensure that the correct paper stock is selected and loaded, as well as that the ink is properly filled. Following these steps, the job is started using a computer interface.
The operator of the digital press ensures that the job is printed correctly. This includes ensuring that the ink coverage, color, registration, and consistency are all correct. When a problem is discovered, the press operator must stop working and make adjustments to the digital file or the machine. Because many designers and graphic artists send “camera-ready artwork,” compatibility issues can arise. If the digital press’s format is CMYK — cyan, magenta, yellow, black — artwork produced or scanned in the RGB — red, green, blue — format will not print true to design. To save money and customer annoyance, the digital press operator must spot these format differences and address them before a job is printed.
The digital press operator is in charge of ensuring the digital press’s proper maintenance and operation. The majority of repairs are handled the manufacturer, but small repairs may fall to the press operator in some cases. Through the use of appropriate scheduling, inventory and ordering of materials, and post-press production, a digital press operator manages the workflow of jobs and the press crew. Stitching, stapling, binding, folding, cutting, and packaging are all processes that the press operator may be responsible for in many small operations. It is also the press operator’s responsibility to keep the workplace safe and efficient.