Some printing presses, such as the Goss “Metro Color” printing press, use hydraulic actuators to adjust the circumferential and lateral registers of each color print roller on the press. The hydraulic systems cause two problems: inaccurate adjustments and slow adjustment times. The inaccuracies are caused by continued movement of the hydraulic actuator after a control input has ceased. Also, the hydraulic controls are limited to a relatively large minimum adjustment such that an operator often has to overshoot an adjustment in one direction to “dial in” the adjustment in the opposite direction. The slow adjustment times are caused by incapability of the hydraulic supply system to simultaneously actuate several different actuators.
Because the printing press is printing paper during the adjustment period after start-up, the printing press is generating waste until the printer is calibrated. Delays in calibration caused by the inaccuracies and slow adjustment times described above are significant contributors to the amount of generated waste. Also, printing presses tend to require periodic adjustments to the register during a print run. Again, the delays in calibration result in significant waste.