China plates

[colorfun]

Hi,
does anyone have any expirience with CtP thermal plates from China? What about quality, repeatability and logistic practices (europe) and reclamation procedures?

 

[gebalazs]

Hi!

We have a company in Beijing but we use Kodak CTP plates there. I think my colleagues had problems with the local brands. Most likely those Kodak plates are produced there anyhow.

Br,
Balazs

 

[TLala]

We have tried at least 4 different chinese plates with our Luescher UV machine. The results were depressing.

 

[Jim-CompuDoc]

WE are selling XingGraphics Fit thermal plates with success, and are starting to test their FitEco no process plates, which are looking good.

I personally have one customer running 12 gauge fit plates on a trendsetter 3244F, 150 per week since January with zero problems.

 

[gebalazs]

XingGraphics? I just read that had a patent court-case with Agfa. Beyond-Print - all about future media - Agfa vs Chinese upstart in the battle of thermal plates

 

[AndrewAA]

Of course a bad PS UV plate doesn't mean they can't produce a viable thermal plate.

Seems to me the fact that Agfa are going after XinGraphics reveals the reality that not all Chinese plates are the same and we may have a real contender on our hands. Yes I've seen some shockers out there that wouldn't stand up to commercial use in my testing of violet photopolymer plates, and heard horror stories from the thermal arena, but sooner or later a Chinese manufacturer is going to get the manufacturing at a consistently high enough quality to be a real option, maybe they already have.

You obviously believe in them Jim (how are you? it's been a long time) so they must be usable, if the processless works as well as the PR is claiming it's going to be interesting....

Regards,
Andrew

 

[cymk]

Question

Question

Does China make a plate to be used on Presstek machines? Like the DI 34 and 52? That would be cool.
Or better yet a Chinese DI in devolvement? It must be hard to sue China since we owe them a boat load of money.
CYMK

 

[yossisu]

WE are selling XingGraphics Fit thermal plates with success, and are starting to test their FitEco no process plates, which are looking good.

I personally have one customer running 12 gauge fit plates on a trendsetter 3244F, 150 per week since January with zero problems.

How are KODAK reacting to to the use of those plates in their CTO?

 

[beermonster]

well stab me vitals - it's Mr aldridge! a blast from the past!

in time i'm sure chinese plates will get used in europe - maybe that's really why agfa are after them now - to stave off that inevitability for a while longer

 

[KevinC@EFI]

Kodak's reaction to Chinese plates on our CTP

Kodak's reaction to Chinese plates on our CTP

How are KODAK reacting to to the use of those plates in their CTO?

Our policy is simple: if a plate will technically work on our CTP system, we have no problem in qualifying it. We have an in-depth process for evaluating and qualifying plates from ALL vendors, run by an independent group in our Vancouver office (some testing in other facilities too, depending on device). We're really the only full solution provider that is so clearly open - which is a challenge for us, and a benefit for our customers.

However, that testing and qualification is only for imaging and handling performance - we do no press testing or certification of how those plates actually work on press, or how consistent those plates are from day to day or batch to batch. Those are the areas where Kodak's current products have significant value over the "second tier" players trying to enter the market. That value/performance gap will only get bigger as we introduce next-generation products. Stay tuned.

Kevin.