Advice on 3302 M w crestline

Hi. I am currently readjusting my machine. I had toning problems (tones on both lead edge corners) I'm trying to set my roller pressures and have not yet achieved the 3.5 mm. Advice? Also can I get recommendations for ink specs and fountain solution. Thanks.

 

Which ryobi is this ??

 

3302M w/ crestlines

 

I came in behind a young man operating this machine that did not understand it. He made many adjustments and it was full of hardened ink and paper trash. I've cleaned it and made several appropriate adjustments, but still has toning. Checked the roller pressures and they were 6-7 mm. I've tried to get it to 3.5 mm but it doesn't seem to change. This and the type of fountain solution are the only things I can think that are causing the toning issue.

 

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The roller diagram posted shows the form roller nips being opposite of what you would normally want. Normally, you would want the form to oscillator nips heavier (driving the roller) and the form to plate nips lighter, so as not to be the ones driving the roller. This is the case in every roller diagram I have ever seen, for every press (make or model) that I have ever worked on. I don’t know what to make of the above diagram but will say that personally I would disregard it, and in fact I have never followed it when adjusting any 3302 that I have ever operated.

 

So, I have been dealing with this all week. As I have tried to go by the diagram it seems to make things worse. So you're saying I need heavier nips on oscillator and lighter on ink to plate? I cannot seem to get my second ink roller to plate nip smaller than 6 mm. It's very frustrating

 

As a general guideline I would adjust for approximately 4mm osc to form (if you can get it) and 3mm form to plate. It’s been my experience that the oscillators should ALWAYS be what’s driving the form rollers, not the plate.

Crestline damps are notorious for toning issues, especially (and unfortunately) on the 3302 presses, lol. It might be a constant battle for you until you can find the best fountain concentrate brands and mixtures. You might also try adding body varnish to your ink(s) to increase the tack, which should help a lot.

 

Ok that's good to know. My boss will see about inks with more tack. I'll work on the nips. All the manuals I'm looking at has the 2.5 for oscillator and 3.5 on ink to plate. But I'll try your advise. So another question if you don't mind, which should I set the nips on first? Oscillators or ink form? I've been trying to find a balance all week. Id get the form set but tone at idle. Then reset the oscillator and it would throw off the pressure to plate.

 

Ok service gave me the order to set these in. I'll try that

 

Form to oscillators first, always.

You can find inks that are higher in tack (12 or lower, if possible) but if you get some body varnish you can also add that to any ink you already have, which is obviously very helpful. It’s a little more work adding it to the ink before you put the ink in the press, but you can do it to any ink, you control the amount, and that tackier ink then also finds its way into the dampening system, which makes a big difference as well.

 

Ok. That's good to know. Thank you so much for your help! I came from AB Dicks and Diddi's and never really encountered these issues.

 

Did you check the hardness of those rollers, that is the first step for this kind duplicators. crestline is good for short runs but for long run, you need a chiller and put some alcohol substitute in your fountain solution.

 

How old are the dampening rollers? 4 years, way too old. 3 years? Replace. 2 years? You should replace them if you can't run for a couple of hours.
If whoever pays the bills doesn't know, replace them.

You have a stripe larger than specified-you might have the wrong roller in that position.
#3 is the largest, at the bottom when opening up the delivery end safety gate. #2 is the smallest.
Setting roller nips should be simple. Fat stripe, thin stripe, the two 3302's I run will run. Btw set #3 stripe to plate very light.

I doubt that fountain solution or ink is your problem. I have literally and for years used ink scavenged from out of business shops 10, 15+ years old. My employer changes ink suppliers when they see a good price. Currently using Wickoff(?) or Epple. No difference, misc inks of every flavor any day. Wax free, "made for plastic" (non porus or foil surface), "for uncoated only".

Two things I would stress. Decent dampener rollers and not running slow. The other guy who runs these presses (he primarily runs the 4 color) has to clean dampeners every hour but he won't run past 6m iph. I insist on fewer clean ups and try to run 7m iph minimum.

 

Thank you printer Dan. So I had a couple of issues with my oscillators being off-kilter my rod in number one ink form roller with loose and as for the dampening rollers my boss has had this machine about 2 years and he replaced all of them then. However the operator before me really didn't understand what he was doing. So I had to come in and clean the entire machine and try to reset everything from the plate cylinder to the stripes. I even had to clean the water tank which was caked and molded it was awful. So my goal is to get this machine back to par. My boss does not like to run fast two two paper crashes. But I will push the limit and see how it goes. Thanks!

 

Also, if the have the tool to do so, quickly check your fountain solution Ph and conductivity.
Also what kind of water are you using if you mix your own solution.
And of course, when was it last changed?

Might as well start in a place that doesn't cost a ridiculous amount of money, IE new rollers.