DPM2000cps

[banjoman]

Anyone using a DPM2000CPS platesetter? I need something to make plates for envelopes and small simple jobs on our duplicator but I need to be able to run with a color head when needed so plates that can register good enough for that. I was looking at this machine and I have never used polyester plates, I used paper and silver master plates years ago and know they are a pain with 2 color work.

Thanks, banjoman

[OffsetGuy@presstechnician.com]

Re: DPM2000cps

Roger,
This must be a used machine you are looking at. The 2000 has been out of production for many years.
8 mil poly plates are very good to print with. If the press is set up properly they work great. Even with a T51.
I have two 3304H customers and all they use are poly plates and the register and screens are clean and crisp.
Looks so much better than a waterless copier.

The DPM was made by ABD/Itek which were great companies and once Ptek bought the company things went down hill with service and customer support. If you have a good DPM service rep that can get parts etc I would say do it.

The newer DPM's use regular poly plates that are rolled backwards so you must buy them from the Razor and blade boys. They thrive on "consumable burning engines" Poly plates are great if you have the proper press settings and water system and an operator that will make them work.

OG
Focus on the donut and not the hole

[Caled]

Re: DPM2000cps

I've got one of these platesetters and regularly print quality full colour work with a line screen of 133lpi. It is a good backup for our other machine and is excellent for quality budget leaflets and quality stationery work.
Few things to watch for are that all the rollers are in good condition and turn over when the machine is working or you'll get plate jams, or skewed plates and that the glass with the imaging laser is not marked or burned as this happens over time and can ruin solids and large screen areas. I recommend making a plate with nothing else on it but 100% coverage of a solid colour and examine the plate closely for marks.
Also the chemistry is not environmentally friendly, so has to be disposed of properly. Despite the recommendations in the manual, I change the chemistry every 2 weeks and not every 4 weeks. Incedentally the Mitsubishi Silver Master chemicals are exactly the same as Pressteks but a lot cheaper.
Plates can be scratched so careful handling and fitting to your press is required.
Use "runny" inks as stiff inks are not as good for these plates. I like K&E (formerly Fishburn).
It will not work with Vista so you have to either network a Mac or install it on a XP Pro machine.
As to its age, the motherboard will probably require a new CMOS battery which is like a watch battery and only costs a few pounds. This happened to me and the motherboard stopped working and the AB Dick engineer diagnosed a new motherboard was needed at a thousand UK pounds. I changed the battery first just to make sure and well saved a grand!
One more thing, don't sit your monitor on the machine or it will flicker. Wall mount it or put it on a separate stand.

[Mooprint]

Dpm 2000

I've got one of these platesetters and regularly print quality full colour work with a line screen of 133lpi. It is a good backup for our other machine and is excellent for quality budget leaflets and quality stationery work.
Few things to watch for are that all the rollers are in good condition and turn over when the machine is working or you'll get plate jams, or skewed plates and that the glass with the imaging laser is not marked or burned as this happens over time and can ruin solids and large screen areas. I recommend making a plate with nothing else on it but 100% coverage of a solid colour and examine the plate closely for marks.
Also the chemistry is not environmentally friendly, so has to be disposed of properly. Despite the recommendations in the manual, I change the chemistry every 2 weeks and not every 4 weeks. Incedentally the Mitsubishi Silver Master chemicals are exactly the same as Pressteks but a lot cheaper.
Plates can be scratched so careful handling and fitting to your press is required.
Use "runny" inks as stiff inks are not as good for these plates. I like K&E (formerly Fishburn).
It will not work with Vista so you have to either network a Mac or install it on a XP Pro machine.
As to its age, the motherboard will probably require a new CMOS battery which is like a watch battery and only costs a few pounds. This happened to me and the motherboard stopped working and the AB Dick engineer diagnosed a new motherboard was needed at a thousand UK pounds. I changed the battery first just to make sure and well saved a grand!
One more thing, don't sit your monitor on the machine or it will flicker. Wall mount it or put it on a separate stand.

Hello Caled,
I tried to email you directly and don't know if it went through to you so I thought that I might reply to thread. Where exactly did you find the CMOS battery on the motherboard to replace it, I have been looking high and low for it and can not find it. Normally they stand out but this one does not, I have worked out that it is a Socket 5 Intel Pentium 90 motherboard and have looked at 20 or more layouts on the web and my motherboard is not like them. Please help and point me in the right direction.

Regards,

Greg M.