VERY general CTP question

[frailer]

Expect some vigorous and ongoing discussion on this, Gutnbg. And no, don't feel embarrassed by the "basic" nature of the questions. Feel smart because you've waved the flag here!
Firstly, evaluate...then re-evaluate. If you can convince the boss[es], that a little time is needed to assess properly beforehand, then you've achieved a very important thing. Try and talk to users away from their vendors, even if it means phoning/calling later. Sometimes they'll be more forthcoming then. Sometimes it's just little niggly stuff, but...no technology's perfect, and it may be what you go with.

Violet vs. Thermal. Sheesh! this debate's still alive I believe, though dead for me. [we went "new" violet in 12/06]. New violet, [30mWatt+] is clean environmentally, pretty easy to maintain, and has an upgrade path to chemistry-free. When we were assessing CTP, I spoke to a couple of book pubs here who were more than happy with violet. It's inherently fast. IMHO, ignore jibes at violet in regards to quality/resolution. We run, sometimes, if the job warrants it, CoRes screening at 300 lpi. No worries.

Make sure you are aware of the differences between old violet, [5 mWatt silver halide-based], and new violet, [photopolymer]. This will stop the wool being pulled over your eyes at some point.

I'll stop for now...

Link below FYI. [sorry about the long URL. Not familiar with the magic "shortener"; which I think exists somewhere..]

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:moZj3kW2i2IJ:printwareinc.com/PDF/Future%2520is%2520Violet.pdf+violet+ctp+tribute&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=au

[frailer]

 :embarrassed: :embarrassed:  It's very early in the morning here...It's "prepress is sexy" I should be yada'ing to. Not Gutnbg. Imagine how I'm gonna be at work today... :rolleyes:

[prepress is sexy]

Pref ROOM proofing to avoid potential expensive mistakes

Strangely, we are on ROOM proofing now, but are moving to new workflow software that requires ripping with each output. I asked that sales/support person for the new software how we can know the proofs will match the final output and he told me it was because we are using the same JDF file and RIP each time. That wasn't real reassuring to me.

[beermonster]

love this thread

i just got...<drumm roll> a budget to go ctp!!!!! holy cow! its taken me 8 years!!!

but.....<aint there always a but>

i have a small budget.....nothing personal  :tongue:

i'm very sold on the azura plate, agfa will chuck in a gummer unit, so now all i have to do is find that kicking screen 8600 that does the job, for less than the price of a cup of coffee......easy huh!

so, since a dealer i know tells me in the uk there's a company making wash-out units for the fuji pRO-T plate, i've got in touch <and met> fuji uk marketing and sales director <name hidden to protect sales person> with a view to looking at that as a solution

which will put me in line with the azura <agfa> plate as regards a process to clean out prior to press - let the plate price haggling begin :cheesy:

so - for anyone looking at new ctp, processless is indeed a very big issue

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

I am not involved, but very rarely in plate making anymore. They keep me in back, way back. We got all the Azura stuff, including the Gummer, and, ummm, we don't use it. I am not exactly sure why, but I know there are issues. I will talk to my Manager next time I go smoke. He can be very archaic in his views, so it might be a matter of his ignorance. Just for fun... does anyone else run Azura plates, do they work consistently, when do they go blind, do they work?

[almaink]

My CTP isn't in a very clean room. I do however have a filter system that keeps the inside of the platesetter clean and dust free. I just had a 6 month PM and the guy said it didn't even need cleaning. The main thing is to keep the room as clean as you can and to change the filters when needed.

[Gutnbg]

Expect some vigorous and ongoing discussion on this, Gutnbg....

How could I not?
No, the obvious thing is that for ANY computer stuff to run right, you need a clean environment. The problem is, in the real world "clean" is a relative term.

I don't really understand this, because all the higher-ups have decided to make a HUGE investment, if they want to go to CTP. Ours did the same as everybody else (probably...er, I HOPE so!), and tried to make the prepress area as clean as humanly possible. Emphasis on the no-smoking rule, positive air flow (when you open the doors, air goes out, not in), etc. But then you end up with goofy stuff like computers sitting on or at least near the floor; computer maintenance, as far as keeping the fans clean etc., gets forgotten; and then the bigwigs come through with potential customers to show off the area while somebody is cursing that very equipment because there is something they don't understand about it.

Congratulations, Beermonster! Two things: Plan ahead, and exercise patience. The learning curve won't be bad at all; hopefully you'll hit the ground running.
 
CTP is one of the best things to ever happen to us, workflow-wise. No more missed burns, no Newton rings, dots (or spots) are repeatable...that alone makes it great. Also, they ARE going to make an effort to make this a clean room, just because the vendor will explain it to them in term$ they under$tand. That means fewer and smaller dust bunnies, as long as you're into cleaning up. (Our department didn't want the maintenance dept. (janitorial) to come in here, so we sweep, mop, and sometimes wax our own floors every week. It still pays the same.)

As for the climate control: They will set it at 70-72 degrees, but make sure you have a sweater or jacket year round. I've been dressing with a T-Shirt and a long-sleeve shirt over it because I never know. What's cool to the computer might be frostbite to me; or it might be very comfortable, in which case I can lose the long sleeves.

Yes, I had to throw that gauntlet, just so this didn't sound like a thread that sells something. Anybody have anything to add?



* P.S. Frailer, I saw your note too late that you were actually talking to prepress-is-sexy, but I was still quite willing and (I think) able to start something here.

[Joe]

love this thread

i just got...<drumm roll> a budget to go ctp!!!!! holy cow! its taken me 8 years!!!

but.....<aint there always a but>

i have a small budget.....nothing personal  :tongue:

i'm very sold on the azura plate, agfa will chuck in a gummer unit, so now all i have to do is find that kicking screen 8600 that does the job, for less than the price of a cup of coffee......easy huh!

so, since a dealer i know tells me in the uk there's a company making wash-out units for the fuji pRO-T plate, i've got in touch <and met> fuji uk marketing and sales director <name hidden to protect sales person> with a view to looking at that as a solution

which will put me in line with the azura <agfa> plate as regards a process to clean out prior to press - let the plate price haggling begin :cheesy:

so - for anyone looking at new ctp, processless is indeed a very big issue

Congrats beer. That CTP will pay for itself in no time with just the savings of not having to buy film. Your higher ups will wonder why they didn't do this years earlier. :laugh:

[frailer]

Expect some vigorous and ongoing discussion on this, Gutnbg....

* P.S. Frailer, I saw your note too late that you were actually talking to prepress-is-sexy, but I was still quite willing and (I think) able to start something here.

LOL, Gutnbg. We seem to trip over each other lately.   :laugh:  I did wake up by the time I got to work. Shall be conversing with you again as we are now at 298 members.   :laugh: :laugh:

[Gutnbg]

LOL.
300 VER-R-R-RY soon. I'm a little scared.

[born2print]

...make that 299...
prepare to strike up the band!
 

[Joe]

Our band would be you and Earendil. So get ready.

[born2print]

Don't forget banjo (um,um,um...dang?)
and drums (beermonster?)

[Joe]

Oh yeah. Get ready frailer and beer.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

I play a pretty mean triangle...