QM 46-2 Training Suggestions

[Altstatten]

Am acquiring a Heidelberg QM 46-2. First Heidelberg machine ever for us.

What is your best suggested course for training an operator to utilize this machine? Books, manuals, tapes, webinars, ???

Trial and error is a wonderful teacher but I'd really like to hear your thoughts on a proactive, go-get some info suggestions. What's beneficial, what's a waste of time, what to do (study) first, what not to bother with, etc. Thanks!

[RGPW17100]

Because it is a QM instead of a printmaster it must be a used press. First I would do is register the serial number with Heidelberg and get an account set up for parts. The easiest thing to do is to have Heidelberg train your employee. This is pretty expensive but through. Next option is find someone else that has one and try and get their operator to train your guy. This is not the best because if that operator is no good it is not a good thing for your operator. Biggest problem with this machine is that the electronics need to be mastered. Which buttons to push and how many times to push them. The electronics also control the things like dropping ink rollers, water rollers, turning on sprayer for testing and so forth. Roller striping is also wierd on this press. If it were me I would bite the bullet and get Heidelberg out there or send him to Heidelberg for the training class.

[rbailleu]

heidelberg has some sales videos that are helpful

YouTube - Heidelguy's Channel

read the manual is a good start. trial and error is good. remember only adjust the register while the press is moving. its pretty easy other than that

[Paul Cavanaugh]

Congratulations on purchasing your Heidelberg QM!

Having a Heidelberg demonstrator come out to train your operator is by far the best route you can take. As mentioned in previous posts there are many items to be mastered in order to be productive and profitable with this machine. While the machine is very easy to use, once taught properly, I would not recommend trying to figure it out by using pure intuition.

Training typically takes one week and no areas of the press operation are left untaught. Afterwards most operators, provided they have previous printing experience, are quite capable of running the machine to the fullest of its capabilities.

Good luck with your new machine!

[lesliew]

Am acquiring a Heidelberg QM 46-2. First Heidelberg machine ever for us.

What is your best suggested course for training an operator to utilize this machine? Books, manuals, tapes, webinars, ???

Trial and error is a wonderful teacher but I'd really like to hear your thoughts on a proactive, go-get some info suggestions. What's beneficial, what's a waste of time, what to do (study) first, what not to bother with, etc. Thanks!

Call Heidelberg and ask them for the Printmaster 46-2 Training DVD, it covers everything from basic setup, TIPS, cleaning and maintenance. If you have run a press before this is a very good instructional DVD to get you use to the differences on this machine.

I'm certainly not saying that this is as good as one to one instruction but it might save you some $

The DVD is meant for the Printmaster 46-2 which is the newer model but just about everything in the DVD is applicable to the QM-46. Heidelberg sent this out to us FREE when we requested it in Mar 09, however YMMV

[STW100]

Am acquiring a Heidelberg QM 46-2. First Heidelberg machine ever for us.

What is your best suggested course for training an operator to utilize this machine? Books, manuals, tapes, webinars, ???

Trial and error is a wonderful teacher but I'd really like to hear your thoughts on a proactive, go-get some info suggestions. What's beneficial, what's a waste of time, what to do (study) first, what not to bother with, etc. Thanks!

Proper training is always best. If your operator is experienced in printing small presses, it's just the controls they need to learn. Most older operators are affraid of the eletronics. The younger ones love them. It is a matter of pushing buttons instead of pulling levers. Common blanket is different, but easy to learn. Where are you located?

[Erik Nikkanen]

Proper training is always best. If your operator is experienced in printing small presses, it's just the controls they need to learn. Most older operators are affraid of the eletronics. The younger ones love them. It is a matter of pushing buttons instead of pulling levers. Common blanket is different, but easy to learn. Where are you located?

Common blanket is very different. Not very suitable for wet on wet overprinting. Therefore it can be a problem if you are trying process printing.