A web press operator is responsible for the upkeep and operation of a multi-unit web-fed rotary press. From the large roll of paper, or the web, to the folder at the end of the printing process, the operator is in charge of the entire web printing process. Not only must the web press operator use make-ready checklists to prepare work for printing, but he or she must also thread the web or paper around the rollers and through the press to the folder, as well as set up the press drying system.
A web press operator must keep a constant eye on the quality of the printing. As problems arise, troubleshooting is required, as is maintaining the press equipment and workspace to avoid downtime and maximize output. A web press operator must also ensure that ink and water levels in the printing units are balanced to ensure that images transferred from the printing plates to the press blankets to the paper are clear.
Web presses print newspapers, magazines, books, and periodicals, as well as anything else that requires high-volume, long-run printing for mass distribution. The webs, or paper rolls, travel at a high speed through the web press. There are two types of web presses: heat-set, which uses heaters to dry the ink, can print on coated paper, and uses higher line screens; and cold-set, which can only print on uncoated stocks and newsprint and uses a smaller line screen, resulting in larger dots and less detail. The ink used in the cold-set web press is designed to dry quickly. Printing on both sides of the paper is possible with some web presses.
The size of web presses varies as well. The label web, which is only a few inches or centimeters wide, is the tiniest. Quarter webs are the next size up, and they can print four pages in a row on form presses. Full webs can print a full 16-page signature or a 32-page signature, while half webs can print both eight and 12-page signatures.
On-the-job training and formal education are both options for becoming a web press operator. People can learn skills through high school and post-secondary education programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job learning — all of which are commonly associated with graphic design. Many of the skills learned as a web press operator can be transferred to other industries, and with so many technological advancements, several printing companies are and will continue to invest in training and skill upgrades. Because the job is quite hands-on, web press operators need technical skills and mechanical aptitude, as well as a solid understanding of the printing process.