Our supplier has lost the rights to sell us AGFA Azura plates and wants us to switch to a KODAK plate that does not have to go through a processor. It's very hard to see the image after it's exposed therefor hard to see mistakes.


Anyone recommend this move? We've been very happy with the Azura plates for years but want to give the business to the supplier.

I tried Fuji no process plates. Not being able to see image and the light sensitive factor made them impractical, for us. 

Good luck hanging the right plates without being able to clearly see the slugline. The rep tried to suggest ways of keeping it straight until we burned a multi-web job, 22 plates for a run and he observed the pressmen bending and hanging plates. He then agreed that lack of visible image was a problem.

Full disclosure, I hate Kodak. They have screws us on plates in the past, spent over a month pointing fingers then finally admitted they changed the plate without telling anyone. We gave them the boot after that.

We have been testing "processor-less" plates and Kodak wouldn't even test here because everything wasn't Kodak. I personally don't like the develop on press plates. You can't see the image, the emulsion has to go somewhere (into the press). That makes the rays of sunshine we call pressmen angry. The ones we tried from fuji never worked right.

That being said I know one small format shop that uses them and loves then. Your milage may vary.

I'd look to another plate supplier, just in case.

Our AGFA equipment will be here in 2 weeks. That should make for a great holiday. 

We've been using the Kodak Sonora XP for several months now and haven't had any problems with it. There is enough contrast to see the slugs and image, but it is tough to QC the entire plate, especially in lighter screens. You can't leave the plates exposed to light for more than an hour or so before you start having problems, but we've done some experimenting and as long as you put them together with the backs out (so the image side is not facing the light) they'll be fine for a few days. I've done this over a 3-day weekend and the plates were usable.

It is nice not having to deal with a processor. Even the Azura gummer unit was a pain to clean properly - it definitely required a little more maintenance than just rinsing hot water through it. Every other month I'd tear it apart and scrub the heck out of it to keep the rollers and basin clean.

Well one thing we do....(not a joke, bear with me here) is join 2 4up plates for a 8 up press. 1 or 2 color jobs only, but there is a cutting template that slices the plate along the center and we have crosshairs that we look at before taping the plates together with a loupe. It's like stripping plates. Can't see how we'd do this with a barely visible image and doing it in the dark to boot.


 

You must have really happy pressmen.

Is it in the water or is it piped into the pressroom?

Yeah, ha ha, especially happy when the boss complains that a 2 color trapped job is not in register with aforementioned cut and taped plates!

Damn, love when that happens!:drunk3:

It's more than "barely" visible. Can't your supplier get you a sample set of plates so you can see them firsthand? They'd have to do that anyway to make sure you'll be happy with them.

Well they were much less visible than what we have now. And who likes going backward and working in the dark again?

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 02, 2014, 01:22:44 PMWell one thing we do....(not a joke, bear with me here) is join 2 4up plates for a 8 up press. 1 or 2 color jobs only, but there is a cutting template that slices the plate along the center and we have crosshairs that we look at before taping the plates together with a loupe. It's like stripping plates. Can't see how we'd do this with a barely visible image and doing it in the dark to boot.


 

I hate to ask but why not just impose it 8-up to begin with?

 

I'm thinking they don't have a plate maker that big?

you are correct sir, you wouldnt think you were creating a make work project would you?

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 02, 2014, 04:39:30 PMyou are correct sir, you wouldnt think you were creating a make work project would you?

I have an easy solution for that. Just buy a bigger one. It's only money.

I want to know who would buy a 4up platesetter for an 8up press in the first place?