The February edition of the GravurExchange
Your source for news for the Gravure Industry!
Gravure is alive and well!
Coming Soon! April 4-5: Executive Leadership Conference Global Summit
Members have been expressing they are tired of virtual meetings and want to get back to live networking. Well, this is your chance to combine seeing the NASCAR Hall of Fame and seeing your fellow Printer/Converter Industry members. The agenda is being finalized with GAA members providing input on the topics that affect today’s business reality: 2022 Executive Leadership Conference Landing (aimcal.org)
Cylinder Society Class of 2021: It is time to nominate your colleagues or those who you consider the people who have helped advanced the knowledge of the Gravure industry.
Gravure Cylinder Society members are men and women chosen by our industry to be honored for their contributions to the gravure processes measured in accomplishments and years of service. Some members are actively involved in activities throughout the year that promote and support gravure. New Society members will be inducted at the AIMCAL Executive Leadership Conference and given the distinctive GCS membership pin. All nominations for the year 2021 must be received no later than March 15, 2022. See the list of Cylinder Society members at: Cylinder Society Members – GAA The nomination form is available for download: https://gaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-Cylinder-Society-Nomination-Form.pdf
Keeping the Printing/Converting Industry as a viable career option for the next generations!
Looking for an intern or filling an opening? Below is an opportunity to see potential employees in-person.
Clemson GC Spring 2022 Internship & Career Fair
The Graphic Communications Department will be hosting its next, twice-annual Internship & Career Fair on March 7-8 at Clemson University. If you have an upcoming internship or full-time position to fill, this is a great opportunity to get in front of more than 200 graphic-arts students, and the graduating class at a reception the evening before the main event, to recruit top talent.
Internships & Careers (clemson.edu)
Career-Snapshots Helping Students with Career Discovery.
Career-Snapshots www.career-snapshots.com is a tool that came out of necessity from the COVID-19 pandemic to give high-school students a way to virtually do career exploration and awareness. Mike Realon, Career & Community Development Coordinator at Olympic High School in Charlotte, NC, working with industry volunteers, built the Career-Snapshots tool. The site has received 2.3 million hits since its launched one year ago. The link was spread through the CMS school district and is being passed across the Carolinas and beyond. In an effort to promote careers in printing/converting and related industries, the Gravure AIMACL Alliance and other associations were asked to invite members to contribute a video. A career video is simply a way to tell students how you found your career, how you learned (apprenticeship, certificate, degree), why you like it and a potential salary range. There are easily 10 careers associated w/printing/converting (Prepress, Graphic Design, Production, Inks/Substrates, Finishing, Inspection, Package Design, and so on.) Please visit the CS and pass it on. If interested in contributing a video, go to www.career-snapshots.com, click the “Contribute” tab, or email tdoanto@gaa.org.
OSHA Increases Penalties for 2022
Over many years, Gary Jones, dir-Environmental, Health, and Safety Affairs of the PRINTING United Alliance, has presented current updates concerning OSHA and EPA at the GAA Global Summit. The following article originally appeared on the PRINTING United Alliance First to Know page and on PIWorld.com, the website of Printing Impressions magazine, a NAPCO Media publication and entity of PRINTING United Alliance, and is republished here with permission.
Inflation is hitting just about every product and service available, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties. In 2016, Congress gave the US Department of Labor, which has authority over OSHA, the ability to increase its penalties on an annual basis based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
OSHA’s New Penalties for 2022: The US Department of Labor has just published its yearly increases to the maximum civil penalties that may be assessed via citations (OSHA) arising from a workplace safety and health inspection.
The new penalties were effective January 15, 2022, and the minimum and maximum penalties for workplace safety violations issued by OSHA are as follows: OSHA Penalty Increase 2022 with permission statement
The February 2022 issue of SmallBiz@EPA covering Policy & Regulations, Key Dates & Upcoming Opportunities, Ask SBEAP and Spotlight can be read by clicking: SmallBiz@EPA February 2022
The Website: epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/asbo is a resource for environment-related information. The following link provides some sustainability downloads: Smart Steps to Sustainability 2.0 | US EPA
Converting Quarterly, the official technical journal of AIMCAL, is a great source of information and curent news from members and the industry. Go to https://www.convertingquarterly.com/
For all the news you may have missed, go to Archived News (aimcal.org)
Gravure Virtual Basics Webinar May 10-11
The GAA second-annual annual Virtual “Gravure Basics” Webinar will be held May 10-11. The program is for those new to the Gravure Industry. Presentations will cover “The valued and unique qualities of Gravure Printing,” “Gravure Market Segments,” “Gravure Print Station Components,” “Pressroom Safety,” “Cylinder Basics,” “Doctor Blades, Holders and Related Topics,” “Press-Side Ink Basics,” “Color Management as Related to Color Theory,” “Press Registration and Drying Fundamentals,” “Films/Foils and Paper Substrates Applications,” “Web Inspection,” and “ESA and Web Static Control.” The training is four hours each day. Fee is $299 for members and $399 for non-members. Registration will be available soon.
DOCTOR-BLADE SYSTEM CHALLENGES FOR WIDE-WEB CYLINDER METERING – Part 1: Doctor-blade angle control. Author: Bill Warner Vice President of Allison Systems
For gravure applications, doctor-blade control needs to be both fast and foolproof with no guesswork, mechanical problems, or startup waste that is attributable to doctor-blade performance. While this statement is true for any gravure press, it is particularly important for wide-web applications including décor printing, coating, and hot-melt gravure. These applications can have doctor blades with lengths greater than 100 in. (254 cm). When doctor blades are that long, setting them correctly and consistently to achieve effective metering can be more difficult. This is Part One of a three-part series. This month will briefly comment on challenges relating to doctor-blade angle and position control.
Often the doctor blade systems found in these very-wide applications do not offer the doctor-blade position and angle control needed to provide consistent and uniform metering of the gravure cylinder. The blade system must be adjustable so that the blade contacts the cylinder at a position on the cylinder relative to the web nip point that doesn’t allow the ink or coating to dry on the cylinder before it is transferred to the web. The blade angle must also be set to an appropriate angle for gravure doctoring. Again, many blade systems do not have the appropriate adjustments or, if adjustment mechanisms are available, they are either damaged or completely nonfunctioning. Even if the adjustment mechanisms are in good working order, they can still be problematic because often there is no way of indicating the positions so that the setup can be repeated the next time the job is run. Assuming the blade system can achieve a nominal good blade position and angle, there is no guarantee that the same blade angle will be achieved along the entire doctor blade. A small amount of blade-holder deflection can have a big effect on blade angle from one side of the press to the other. Additionally, if the doctor blade is not installed precisely in the blade holder, slight blade-position variation will also be magnified on wide-web presses. For these reasons, it is extremely important to have and use the capability to adjust the doctor blade so that it is running parallel to the cylinder every time a new setup is made. If not, cross-web print variations will likely be produced.
A good doctor-blade system will have multiple degrees of adjustment mechanisms that work smoothly, include position indicators, and can apply the doctor blade at industry-acceptable blade angles and positions for all cylinder sizes that are used. If your blade system doesn’t currently have all those capabilities, it is likely time to start investigating how to achieve those functions.
DOCTOR BLADE SYSTEM CHALLENGES FOR WIDE-WEB CYLINDER METERING –
Part 2: Force Control in the March 2022 issue.
Sustainable Flexible Packaging – The Big Challenge:
On February 8, Tony Donato attended the FTA Tech Talk Webinar titled, “The Future of Flexible Packaging.” The webinar featured a video produced by Bobst Italia. The video’s examples were primarily using Gravure processes and, even though primarily commercial in content, Tony believes it is worth the time to view. Bobst Marketing and Communication Manager Sara Alexander kindly provided this link:
“Ask the Gravure Experts” is a feature where members from the GAA Committee will review your question and reply directly to you and publish the question-and-answer in the next GravurExchange. One of the important benefits of being part of an association is the ability to network with members, and the “Ask the Gravure Experts” provides the opportunity to all readers of the GravurExchange to network. Send your question, subject line: “Gravure Experts” to info@gaa.org
It is time to participate in the 2022 Golden Cylinder Awards. Entries are being accepted until May 7, 2022. There are four primary award categories that reflect the best execution of the Gravure-printing process and supporting innovations: A. PACKAGING AND LABEL, with nine sub-categories, B. PRODUCT, with eight sub-categories. C. PUBLICATION, with 10 sub-categories. D. TECHNICAL INNOVATION, with eight sub-categories; for a total of 35 categories. To learn more and see past winners: Golden Cylinder Awards – GAA.
To download the entry form, go to: GAA-Golden-Cylinder-Awards-2022-Form.pdf
If you are looking for new employees or are looking for employment, we encourage you to use the new resources on the AIMCAL website:
(Jobs (aimcal.org). Members may post jobs at NO CHARGE. We invite you to see how easy it is to post jobs online today! To maximize your job posting, you should also post on the GAA website at Job Openings | Gravure Association of Americans (gaa.org)
We want to thank all the past-GAA / now-AIMCAL members who have renewed their membership for 2022. “The number of GAA renewing members are growing daily so don’t be left behind. “Renew Today”:
Walter Vail, GAA Chair Emeritus, and AIMCAL Member Outreach Director Tim Janes have put together a group from the GAA Committee who will be calling members to be able to answer questions on the benefits of continuing to stay a member. Video Walk Through of Login Process + Member Resources.
University and College Gravure Day:
This program helps students understand all the industry segments that use the Gravure process and provides awareness of all the careers in printing and converting. Interested in holding a “Gravure Day?” Email info@gaa.org, subject line: “Gravure Day.”
Was your company once a member or do you know a past member?
Walter Vail is chairing a committee to reach out to past GAA members to inform them of the expanded benefits now available with the AIMCAL merger. To support Walter, email info@gaa.org, subject line: “Membership.” This subcommittee supports the GAA Committee’s Mission Statement by connecting those who use and recognize the importance of the Gravure printing and coating process.
GAA Services, Training and Products:
On-site Training/On-site Consulting:
Bob Kikkert and Mike Gaffney are ready to help with on-site and/or hybrid virtual training and consulting. Those in need of these services, please contact info@gaa.org using subject line: “Consultant Services.”
The Gravure Textbook Sale Continues:
We continue to receive orders for the Gravure Process and Technology and the Gravure Specifications and Tolerances (GST) textbooks. They can be purchased at Shop (www.aimcal.org)
Gravure Certification:
Members continue to use the online gravure training program. There are four levels of Certification training. Information and registration for all four levels are available at https://gaa.org/services/training/online-gravure-certification-training/. Special Member pricing has been established for the certifications. For pricing and to register, email info@gaa.org and use subject line: “Certification.”
Want to become a member?
Anyone interested in having their company become a member of this dynamic association of companies that are promoting the gravure process, please go to: Become a Member | AIMCAL
Questions? Contact AIMCAL Member Outreach Director Tim Janes at tim@aimcal.org