After the end of a preceding print job, a printing press is stopped, and ink form rollers (6-1 to 6-4) of an ink roller group (6) are thrown off. After that, a printing plate (7) is exchanged with a printing plate (7) of a next print job, and a blanket (91) mounted on a blanket cylinder (9) is cleaned. The opening amounts of ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) corresponding to the image of the printing plate (7) of the next print job are obtained. The obtained opening amounts of the ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) are corrected by correction values of the opening amounts of the ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) considering the influence of cleaning of the blanket (91) to obtain corrected opening amounts. In a state in which the opening amounts of the ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) have been set to the corrected opening amounts, a corrected ink film thickness distribution corresponding to the image of the printing plate (7) of the next print job is formed on the ink roller group (6).

After the end of a preceding print job, a printing press is stopped, and ink form rollers (6-1 to 6-4) of an ink roller group (6) are thrown off. After that, a printing plate (7) is exchanged with a printing plate (7) of a next print job, and a blanket (91) mounted on a blanket cylinder (9) is cleaned. The opening amounts of ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) corresponding to the image of the printing plate (7) of the next print job are obtained. The obtained opening amounts of the ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) are corrected by correction values of the opening amounts of the ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) considering the influence of cleaning of the blanket (91) to obtain corrected opening amounts. In a state in which the opening amounts of the ink fountain keys (4-1 to 4-n) have been set to the corrected opening amounts, a corrected ink film thickness distribution corresponding to the image of the printing plate (7) of the next print job is formed on the ink roller group (6).

A method is provided of charging an inker in a lithographic printing press. The method comprises placing all of the printing units of the printing press in an off impression position, with a continuous substrate passing through the printing units, each printing unit including a blanket cylinder; and in one or more printing units of the plurality of printing units, moving the takeaway roller into contact with the blanket cylinder of the printing unit. Thereafter, the method includes driving the ink train, plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and the take away roller at a first surface speed, whereby the ink from the ink train transmitted to the plate cylinder from the ink train, from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder, and from the blanket cylinder to the take away roller; and during said driving step, keeping the continuous substrate stationary or moving the continuous substrate at a second surface speed less than 50% of the first surface speed. Also provided is a closed loop control system for controlling the ink film thickness applied to a printed substrate in a lithographic printing press.

A method is provided of charging an inker in a lithographic printing press. The method comprises placing all of the printing units of the printing press in an off impression position, with a continuous substrate passing through the printing units, each printing unit including a blanket cylinder; and in one or more printing units of the plurality of printing units, moving the takeaway roller into contact with the blanket cylinder of the printing unit. Thereafter, the method includes driving the ink train, plate cylinder, blanket cylinder and the take away roller at a first surface speed, whereby the ink from the ink train transmitted to the plate cylinder from the ink train, from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder, and from the blanket cylinder to the take away roller; and during said driving step, keeping the continuous substrate stationary or moving the continuous substrate at a second surface speed less than 50% of the first surface speed. Also provided is a closed loop control system for controlling the ink film thickness applied to a printed substrate in a lithographic printing press.