Advanced computer-to-plate system

The new Purup-Eskofot PlateDriver has some unique features that are far beyond the reach of many ctp systems, especially those that target the B2 and B1 format markets.

There are no clear advantages or disadvantages in the technology of built-in and external cylinder technology, thermal and visible light technology, silver salt and polyester, so a printing company must consider various aspects in order to make an investment decision. .

When a device is similar to other devices, at least on the outside, it is more difficult to make decisions. Take the latest PlateDriver from Purup-Eskofot, its appearance is very similar to that of Agfa's Galileo device, which has a large tin box. However, the difference between them is very large. Apart from using the same inner drum technology, they are totally different in other aspects.

Purup-Eskofot likes to use the term "flexibility" to describe the PlateDriver device and is almost fanatical. A company’s presentation manager said: “PlateDriver is unique and it offers users the opportunity to change or upgrade indefinitely. It can be upgraded from B2 to B1 or from polyester to UV laser or thermal. This is the PlateDriver There is flexibility.” This is a pretty good technology, and the benefits the user will get from it will be much greater than the benefits obtained from a fixed format or structure.

The biggest feature of Purup-Eskofot's "flexible solution" is that it allows equipment manufacturers to produce a wide range of different equipment based on standard racks, just as if the car manufacturer used the same chassis to produce different car models, without overly complex development. The production process. Prices and costs continue to decrease, while customers can choose more and more.

This kind of flexibility is important, but if PlateDriver equipment wants to have an advantage in the market, the technology used must also be able to bring competitive production efficiencies.

All production operations are carried out under the CommandDrive software of the PlateDriver. The device has a manual delivery mode and an automatic delivery mode. The PlateDriver has five plate cartridges, each capable of holding 100 plates with the emulsion facing down.

This means that five different printing plates can be supplied at the same time, and when there is a plate of the same size in each plate, the part will keep the plates from any of the plates until all printing plates of that size are used up. . In theory, the PlateDriver can run continuously for more than 30 hours without replenishment.

The feeding mechanism of this equipment is quite simple: There is a set of fork carriage in the running direction to transfer the printing plate in the current version of the box, to move above the version table, and then there is a set of nozzles to suck up the top printing plate. An air flow directs the staggered plate guides to the large cabinet at the bottom of the PlateDriver.

Finally, the suction plate gently places the printing plate on the surface of the platen with the gas-filled platform. There are also two correct angle guides on its surface, and a small suction arm is recessed in the inflatable platform to prevent the printing plate from stopping in the middle.

The entire configuration is highly efficient, mechanically simple, accurate and perfect. But people will inevitably feel that PlateDriver has more potential for development, especially the process of printing plate floating on the inflatable platform by a single suction nozzle.

All versioning techniques are basic, so Purup-Eskofot can keep prices down. Cast iron sticks are also similar to those used on Maestro and Magnum, but the locking mechanism is no longer used to ensure that the plate will continue to move while passing through the rollers.

This is indeed a very clever change, although it will reduce the curvature of the imaging area to 240 degrees, but make the production more efficient. Even with the lowering of the arc of the arch, the arch is still larger than any of the built-in drums. Generally, the arched arc of the built-in drum rarely reaches 180 degrees.

In addition, the newly designed roller has a series of built-in grooves that allow the end of the plate to abut against the groove, effectively aligning the plate along both sides. The plate can also be punched and stored after the exposure is complete. PlateDriver can be configured with 10 different types of perforations, but only a designated perforator can be used for each specific plate. The laser determines the accuracy of positioning based on the positioning holes punched out instead of the edge of the plate.

In terms of plate exposure, Purup-Eskofot has continuously developed imaging sources that are separated from the mirrors in recent years. The imaging light source directly reaches the trim control mirror through a fiber optic cable, which helps to clean the light source.

Years of practice in this type of technology have greatly improved the technology of Purup-Eskofot. Now the mirror's rotation speed has reached 55,000 rpm, and the company's CTP product manager Christian Erikstrup said, "There is still more potential for this technology. The violet laser beam is getting narrower and the mirror size is only a standard size. In half, we can increase the rotation speed of the mirror to 80,000 rpm without any mechanical difficulties."