Blanket Life?

[SteveSuffRIT]

For educational/training purposes, can anyone (vendor/user) share how many impressions they are getting from their offset blanket before replacing?
Instead of impressions, do you track time by dates?
Do you track the reason for changing it (smash/ding/dent, cut line, embossed, print quality)?
I suppose it might matter if typical substrate is paper (<10pt) vs paper board (>10pt)?

 

[Raf77]

It's all depends on what stock you use, how often you're changing sizes, how big runs you do etc.

 

[SteveSuffRIT]

Yes, I know. Frequently an answer to a question is, it depends.
But if we are collecting data, not opinions, not experience, we can always find the mathematical average and standard deviation for a data set.
I was hoping to find a printer that has several years of data on blanket life/mileage. Then I could show a histogram (vertical bar chart) and say, on "average" a blanket is replaced/changed every 1,000,000 impressions. And the variance/fluctuation range/window is +/- 50,000 imp (based on 1 standard deviation = 2/3rd or 68%).
If the data has associated specific details, we can tag code it, then stratify/separate (filter) the data for specific conditions for further analysis and answer What/If questions, such as its this X# for sheetfed but that Y# for web, or this X# for paper and that Y# for board, or this X# for smashes and that Y# for cut lines.

 

[alibryan]

As much as they may try to focus on the science of printing, it will still always remain - a craft.

 

[turbotom1052]

As much as they may try to focus on the science of printing, it will still always remain - a craft.

Try getting the bean counters to agree with that!!!

 

[alibryan]

Try getting the bean counters to agree with that!!!

I don’t get out too much any more but, increasingly, it feels like there are less and less who would know or could even begin to understand… my side of things.

 

[Tboz007]

Yes, I know. Frequently an answer to a question is, it depends.
But if we are collecting data, not opinions, not experience, we can always find the mathematical average and standard deviation for a data set.
I was hoping to find a printer that has several years of data on blanket life/mileage. Then I could show a histogram (vertical bar chart) and say, on "average" a blanket is replaced/changed every 1,000,000 impressions. And the variance/fluctuation range/window is +/- 50,000 imp (based on 1 standard deviation = 2/3rd or 68%).
If the data has associated specific details, we can tag code it, then stratify/separate (filter) the data for specific conditions for further analysis and answer What/If questions, such as its this X# for sheetfed but that Y# for web, or this X# for paper and that Y# for board, or this X# for smashes and that Y# for cut lines.

If you’re proactive in cleaning the blanket after every sheet size change and keep paper lines from scoring the blanket it lasts me 5 months or so 60-70 k impressions.

 

[Raf77]

If you’re proactive in cleaning the blanket after every sheet size change and keep paper lines from scoring the blanket it lasts me 5 months or so 60-70 k impressions.

60-70k impressions???

 

[Tboz007]

60-70k impressions???

460-470
Close to 1/2 million

 

[Kylin machinery]

Hi Steve,

When it comes to blanket life on a 4-color offset press, there is rarely a single "standard" number of impressions. The actual lifespan is almost entirely dictated by pressroom conditions, operating habits, and the type of work you run. While a high-quality compressible blanket can technically last several million impressions, they almost never die of "old age."