Plate loaders

[gnubler]

I feel like a small fry.

Earendil's is a web shop. Ain't so many of those around no more. I believe there are only 2 web shops in the entire state of NM. 

[gnubler]

Whatevs. I'm getting paid. Brought to you by Carl's Jr.^®

Costco loves you, too.

[Ear]

Joe, does the platesetter then load a plate while the other is burning or is it one at a time? The way the Screen works, I don't see how it would know to switch to a different size while in preload. I can leave preload off, and only set foot in there to load empty cassettes but it adds time. When preload is on, it will spit out a 24"x38" plate every 160 seconds. But again, it is loading and punching a plate while the other one is still burning at which point the next plate in the queue needs to be the same size plate.

[t-pat]

ours knows how many of x size plates are in the queue and what order they're coming, and preloads the correct size for whatever order it is in.

[Ear]

our setup picks the correct plate based on the queue, and moves the drawers around on it's own. Stuff queues up and switches by itself. If we don't get a slipsheet jam the thing will run unattended all day or until it runs out of plates. Scary, because nobody even looks at them until they get to press. Whatevs. I'm getting paid. Brought to you by Carl's Jr.^®

I hear ya. Mine does that too, but based on what plate is active... the platesetter has no idea what the next plate in line is until it goes active for burn. In proload, it has the next plate in the machine, punched and ready to clamp on the drum before the current one is finished burning. Having it preload is the difference between 16 PPH and 24 PPH, on the web presses. I can get it up to almost 30 PPH for the little speedmaster plates burning in negative mode.

[Joe]

Joe, does the platesetter then load a plate while the other is burning or is it one at a time? The way the Screen works, I don't see how it would know to switch to a different size while in preload. I can leave preload off, and only set foot in there to load empty cassettes but it adds time. When preload is on, it will spit out a 24"x38" plate every 160 seconds. But again, it is loading and punching a plate while the other one is still burning at which point the next plate in the queue needs to be the same size plate.

Ours loads a plate in the imager using the right plate size from the right drawer based on the queue the file is in. While it is imaging it then loads a plate in the other imager using the right plate size from the right drawer based on the queue the file is in (Each imager has a different PC with their own queues). When the first one is done imaging it unloads the plate and sends it through the processor, loads a new plate, then unloads the other imager, loads a new plate, etc...the plate guy mainly just sits in front of the computer and selects which queue to output from next and then makes sure all of the drawers have plates in them. It's dead simple stupid easy when it is working right.

[Ear]

ours knows how many of x size plates are in the queue and what order they're coming, and preloads the correct size for whatever order it is in.

The platesetter can see the future of the tiff queue? Sweet! You must be running all the same brand of gear.

And ya, slipsheets are great until one jams. Our new plates are coming 100 to a pack. Freakin heavy. The Mercury web plates must weigh 80 lbs to a pack. Don't they know we're just computer guys, not bodybuilders?  :laugh:

[Ear]

Joe, does the platesetter then load a plate while the other is burning or is it one at a time? The way the Screen works, I don't see how it would know to switch to a different size while in preload. I can leave preload off, and only set foot in there to load empty cassettes but it adds time. When preload is on, it will spit out a 24"x38" plate every 160 seconds. But again, it is loading and punching a plate while the other one is still burning at which point the next plate in the queue needs to be the same size plate.

Ours loads a plate in the imager using the right plate size from the right drawer based on the queue the file is in. While it is imaging it then loads a plate in the other imager using the right plate size from the right drawer based on the queue the file is in (Each imager has a different PC with their own queues). When the first one is done imaging it unloads the plate and sends it through the proocers, loads a new plate, then unloads the other imager, loads a new plate, etc...the plate guy mainly just sits in front of the computer and selects which queue to output from next and then makes sure all of the drawers have plates in them. It's dead simple stupid easy when it is working right.

I see. It's still loading one at a time, per machine... just 2 machines. Mine will do that on single plate mode, but like I said, it adds another minute or more per plate. Doesn't kill me tho... I know I'll have 40 Merc plates queued, then switch to Hantscho... kill preload on the second to last plate and walk away. It knows which tray to switch to and what size to use. Once the next size starts, I hit preload and let it hammer through that size. Switching sizes costs time so I try to keep sizes in batches, if I can.

[Joe]

Yeah they stick to one size in one imager and another size in the other imager. Once the last plate is running of a size they queue the next size up. It sounds strenuous but I think our plate people will survive.

 

[Joe]

By plate people I don't mean me. I don't do plates unless it is an emergency. I have important shit to do like web development.

[Ear]

heehee We don't even have a "plate person" anymore. Well, me, but I only have to load the trays and make sure nothing jams up. Fully automated, to the stacker. I send them down, the pressmen pick them up. It's nice. I output between 1600 and 2200 plates per month and spend maybe an hour per week, total, in the plate room. Auto loader is a great investment.

[t-pat]

ours knows how many of x size plates are in the queue and what order they're coming, and preloads the correct size for whatever order it is in.

The platesetter can see the future of the tiff queue? Sweet! You must be running all the same brand of gear.

And ya, slipsheets are great until one jams. Our new plates are coming 100 to a pack. Freakin heavy. The Mercury web plates must weigh 80 lbs to a pack. Don't they know we're just computer guys, not bodybuilders?  :laugh:

yes, it's Kodak from end to end. Prinergy sends to xpose, xpose sends to the box that sits out in the plate room connected to the setter and cassette unit. The tiff queue shows what size plate it needs, and preloads it accordingly. 30 40" plates an hour. Massive overkill for this operation these days, but what the hell it was a $1 buyout lease with a plate contract, and we bought it out for $1 recently.

[Ear]

ours knows how many of x size plates are in the queue and what order they're coming, and preloads the correct size for whatever order it is in.

The platesetter can see the future of the tiff queue? Sweet! You must be running all the same brand of gear.

And ya, slipsheets are great until one jams. Our new plates are coming 100 to a pack. Freakin heavy. The Mercury web plates must weigh 80 lbs to a pack. Don't they know we're just computer guys, not bodybuilders?  :laugh:

yes, it's Kodak from end to end. Prinergy sends to xpose, xpose sends to the box that sits out in the plate room connected to the setter and cassette unit. The tiff queue shows what size plate it needs, and preloads it accordingly. 30 40" plates an hour. Massive overkill for this operation these days, but what the hell it was a $1 buyout lease with a plate contract, and we bought it out for $1 recently.

Ya, that's screamin' fast. Love it.

[t-pat]

we can produce a lot of mistakes really fast at that speed and with no-fuckin-body qc'ing them. Or when somehow the processor gets turned off and they all logjam in the infeed of the processor, that's a real nightmare of mangled plates

[Ear]

Yep, logjams are not cool. I do a quick runthrough before I start burning for the day. I had to put a "do not fucking touch" sign on the stacker because curious pressmen would peek at plates, which would trip the optics and throw the timing off, causing a jam coming out of the processor.