Method for reducing web printing press start-up waste, and related printing press and printed product

1. A method for operating a web printing press comprising:

unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web;

during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired print quality standard;

stopping the web after the makeready;

throwing off impression the at least one print unit, and passing the printed substrate through a curing unit;

rewinding the web so that the cured printed substrate printed during the make ready passes back through the print unit; and

unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the desired print quality standard is determined by measuring optical densities of the printed images and comparing the measured optical densities to a desired target density.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, before the rewinding step, setting at least one web guides to guide a reversing web.

4. A method for operating a web printing press comprising:

unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web;

during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired print quality standard;

stopping the web after the makeready;

rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready passes back through the print unit; and

unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit;

wherein, during the unwind again step, the substrate is reprinted.

5. A method for operating a web printing press comprising:

unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web;

during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired print quality standard;

stopping the web after the makeready;

rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready passes back through the print unit; and

unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit;

wherein a coater is not run during the makeready, and if the makeready images are acceptable according to the desired print quality standard, the substrate during the unwind is coated.

6. A method for operating a web printing press comprising:

unwinding a substrate from a roll to define a web;

during makeready, printing the web using at least one print unit, the makeready ending when the web is being printed to a desired print quality standard;

stopping the web after the makeready;

rewinding the web so that the substrate printed during the make ready passes back through the print unit; and

unwinding again the rewound substrate to pass through the print unit;

wherein if a desired optical density on reaching white web after the unwind again step is not acceptable, the stopping, rewinding and unwind again steps are repeated.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising tracking the substrate used during a makeready cycle.