4–6 March (Basic Gravure Seminar) and 6–7 March (Color Day) in Stuttgart, Germany · Introduction to gravure cylinder preparation and printing with demonstrations and practical exercises · Color Management and Standardization in Gravure Printing with demonstrations and practical exercises · Register now
Gravure at your fingertips
Stuttgart Media University is the only university in Europe which operates a complete gravure line, from cylinder preparation through to a rotogravure printing press. Hence, the cylinder preparation and gravure printing department at HdM is unique in European further and higher education. In the labs all aspects of gravure can be closely experienced and tried out, and the quality of all production steps can be tested with special measuring methods.
The introductory course offered here covers gravure in theory and practice, from the electro plating for copper plating of a cylinder, through surface processing and finishing, preparation of a layout and the subsequent electromechanical engraving process, to printing on several papers with different ink viscosities. Besides electromechanical engraving, all workflow processes for other modern gravure cylinder engraving procedures such as laser assisted etching and laser engraving are explained. The new developments of cylinder surfaces are touched.
All process steps are tried and tested on equipment in the cylinder preparation laboratory and in the gravure printing department. Participants will design a layout, help prepare and engrave a cylinder with it, and print it on different types of paper. These steps will be accompanied by quality control with the corresponding measuring equipment.
The course is designed to provide a practical overview of the whole process chain for employees of gravure printers, cylinder engravers and reproduction studios, from paper, substrate and ink manufacturers, and also for newcomers to the industry coming from a different field. This course does not include advanced operator training and so is not intended for the experienced technical staff from gravure printers.
The number of participants has been limited to 10 participants per course. This enables each participant to take an active “hands on” part in each production step, which will enable a better understanding of the complete process.
Color Day by GMG Academy
The Color Day is a seminar on digital color management that focuses on the precise control and optimization of colors via print data and proofing.
In this workshop, participants will explore an comprehensive overview of color management and standardization within the realm of gravure printing. Led by experts from GMG, renowned for their proficiency in color management and proofing and the gravure department of the Stuttgart Media University, the workshop will equip attendees with essential knowledge and practical skills to get print quality and color right first time on press.
Participants will learn to match digital color targets on press accurately. They will also delve into best practices for measurement techniques, enabling them to execute precise evaluations and maintain consistency throughout the printing process.
The workshop will provide hands-on experience in print file preparation, proofing and printing, empowering participants to optimize outcomes and minimize errors. Practical exercises will focus on press profiling and thorough print evaluation. Furthermore, participants will have the opportunity to explore advanced printing techniques such as Expanded Color Gamut (ECG) printing, unlocking new possibilities for creativity and efficiency in gravure printing.
This workshop is designed for technical staff involved in gravure printing across the production chain, offering valuable insights for improving color management practices. Additionally, managers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the future trends in gravure printing are encouraged to participate and gain strategic insights into optimizing printing processes for enhanced efficiency and quality.
General Information
Venue
Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart
Nobelstr. 10
70569 Stuttgart
Tel: +49-711-8923-2811
www.hdm-stuttgart.de
Duration
Basic Gravure Seminar: 3 days, arrival the day before the seminar (3 March)
Color Day: 1 day
Target group
Employees from gravure production and supply chains needing a general overview of the process
Language
English
Participation Fees
Combo offer: Basic Seminar & Color Day
GRA Members: € 2.595,– (+VAT)
Non-Members: € 3.895,– (+VAT)
Seminar participation fees are per person. Fees include seminar participation, seminar documentation, hotel accommodation for 4 nights, day catering, 3 dinners, 4 lunches and public transport tickets to the university.
Basic Seminar only
GRA Members: € 1.995,– (+VAT)
Non-Members: € 2.899,– (+VAT)
Seminar participation fees are per person. Fees include seminar participation, seminar documentation, hotel accommodation for 3 nights, day catering, 2 dinners and and public transport tickets to the university.
Color Day only
GRA Members: € 800,– (+VAT)
Non-Members: € 1.200,– (+VAT)
Seminar participation fees are per person. Fees include seminar participation, seminar documentation, hotel accommodation for 1 night, day catering, 1 dinner, 1 lunch and public transport tickets to the university.
Programme
Monday, 3 March 2025
Arrival of the participants at the hotel
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
09:00 › Arrival at Stuttgart Media University
09:10 › Welcome of the participants and tour through the technical departments of the Stuttgart Media University
Coffee break
10:30 › Introduction to the course at the Competence Center Gravure, Introduction to gravure printing and gravure cylinder production, Gravure printing applications and markets
Lunch break
13:00 › Mechanical structure of a gravure cylinder, Surface property of gravure cylinders, Structure of a gravure unit, Comparison of base copper and ballard skin process, Influences of substrate parameters onto form production, Gravure specific measurement instrumentation
Coffee break
15:00 › Function of electromechanical engraving, cell shapes, screen angle, screen width, image signal processing, preparation of a sample for a print form with job ticket, colour management for gravure printing, Xtreme/TransScribe
17:30 › End of first day of the seminar
Dinner
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
08:30 › Engraving of the prepared sample (2 cylinders), Quality control, Metrological acquisition of a gravure gradation
Coffee break
10:00 › Forme production with lasers, Direct engraving with laser, Etching with laser as mask generation tool
11:30 › Gravure inks – basics and composition, blending of inks for test print
Lunch break
14:00 › Mixing of the inks in the inks kitchen
15:00 › Substrates and specific applications in packaging
Coffee break
16:00 › Structure of gravure presses, Corona treatment, Drying, Print control devices: web tension, register and viscosity control
18:00 › End of second day of the seminar
Dinner
Thursday, 6 March 2025
8:30 › Colour theory and colour measurement for the evaluation of the prints
Coffee break
10:00 › Print with the two cylinders prepared on the previous day on the Rotomec MW 60 rotogravure packaging press with different speeds, substrates, doctor blade angles, viscosities and ink/extender ratio.
Lunch break
14:00 › Metrological and optical evaluation of the prints, generation and discussion of print gradations
Questions and answers
ca. 15:00 › End of seminar/departure
Registration
Closing date for registrations is 3 February 2025. The number of participants is limited to 10 only. Participation places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Cancellations
Cancellations must be submitted in writing by 3 February 2025. In case of absence or late cancellation, the complete participation fee is to be paid. After this date, the registration fee is transferable but not refundable. In case of cancellation, regardless of the timing, the participant will be billed the accommodation costs that would be charged by the hotel if the room cannot be rebooked. ERA reserves the right to cancel, defer or modify the event proceedings without prior notice.
Programme
Thursday, 6 March 2025
16:00 › Start of Color Day
Agenda
- How to match your color targets on press first time
- Foundations of color management and standardization
- Measurement best practices
- Print file preparation and proofing
- Practical exercises for press profiling and print evaluation
- Multicolor / ECG printing
Friday, 7 March 2025
16:00 › End of Color Day
Registration
Closing date for registrations is 3 February 2025. The number of participants is limited to 10 only. Participation places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Cancellations
Cancellations must be submitted in writing by 3 February 2025. In case of absence or late cancellation, the complete participation fee is to be paid. After this date, the registration fee is transferable but not refundable. In case of cancellation, regardless of the timing, the participant will be billed the accommodation costs that would be charged by the hotel if the room cannot be rebooked. ERA reserves the right to cancel, defer or modify the event proceedings without prior notice.
“…Ms. Stefani Dhami had arranged everything very well in very short time, furthermore, Mr. Weichmann and Mr. Galus had been very friendly and supportive throughout the program. This seminar has been very beneficial for us as I have joined this industry very recently, so it was a great opportunity for me as I was able to learn many things in a brief period of time, that too from professionals with high experiences. After participating, we now understand the importance of this program, it is a great platform to acquire basic rotogravure knowledge in short time, we will strongly advise our customers and our suppliers to attend such seminars organised in future.”
“I have been working in flexible packaging for 25 years. First time I heard with such details all the printing processes, from the engraving until printing. The combination of theory and practice was ideal. Within three days all the professors analyzed with explanatory way the gravure printing. Very good atmosphere in the classroom. I will recommend the course for sure.”
“The days were very instructive overall. There were exciting discussions in our group and it was also a good opportunity to exchange ideas with other professionals. Another advantage was, of course, that we had experts from all areas of the printing industry on site. From ink manufacturers (water-based) and solvent ink manufacturers to decor gravure printers and packaging printers. This was a good opportunity to exchange ideas in a neutral room, which makes such workshops very valuable. But the dinner together after the workshop was also a great experience.”
