The Amazing Dance

[tonypep]

When everything goes right it can be just that. Scheduling, staging, and interdepartemental coordination is a fascinating thing to watch. It all starts at pre-dawn when department heads roll in. The schedule is set based on image size and # colors and a few other variables. All autos have staging racks that can hold 40 screens and they are replenished. Meanwhile deep in the catacombs screens are coated and sent to the drying room while elsewhere images are shot for the next day. This is dependant on inventory arrival so many discussions occur with purchasing as to what is arriving when and from which location. This also prioritizes the art dept. Inks have been pulled down the night before and each job is activated just prior to shift start. Ideally when press ops arrive its go time; everything is staged and ready. The dance begins.
Everyone is cross trained in several functions. If dryer ops are free they make a bee-line for screen prep or ink room to help out. The ink staff must gauge how much master color to have on hand based on the schedule. Meanwhile all qt and pint containers must be recycled and all pls containers must be thoroughly cleaned. Intercom barks out status, approval requests and return to press. The pulling staff does their best to spread the work out evenly and gang up multiple orders for like designs. It can seem to the uninitiated that everyone is running around in circles however it is simply the erratic nature of the controlled chaos. The schedule itself is never static. Conversely it must remain as flexible as possible as it is in a constant state of flux. Plans change and everyone needs to react accordingly.
Of course its not smooth or perfect. Tempers can flare if it gets too disruptive and if things get moved around too much it can spiral out of control. But on the good days it goes pretty much like this. The best thing about it is that I don't have to constantly direct everyone. Each knows their role.
Just rambling thoughts over coffee. Back to work.

[DCSP John]

Amen to this post.
The life of a commercial printer can be full at every turn. Good and bad.
Well said, Tony.

Jophn

[Underbase37]

Its funny how many variables are different shop to shop, but many here seem to dance to the same beat. 1..&..2&..1..&..2.......

Murphy37

[Sbrem]

Yep, that's it in the proverbial nutshell, once you've gotten to a decent size, you need to have all of your ducks in a row. We have most, not all, but it's pretty much the same...

Steve