CTP affordable recommendations

[cruisin]

I currently have a Heidelberg prosetter that is a little over 10 years old. I was just informed they are stopping production on the violet silver plates we use. They are telling me if we had over a 5mw laser we could keep using the prosetter with a different plate unfortunately I believe that is what we have and I assume there is no way to upgrade the laser affordably. I have a few quotes for refurbished plate setters etc but they are still pretty high. We run a half sheet size and I would need automatic loading. Any affordable recommendations I could check out would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ChrisZ]

Automatic plate loading raises cost, limits choice range.
Screen plate setters are well known on the market, no problem to find spares or serviceman.
Chris

 

[cruisin]

I will check into Screen thanks for the tip

 

[schenkadere]

Definitely Screen. Been using Screen platesetters for the past 16 years in 2 different plants. Never a major repair and never a thing to complain about. Rock solid.

 

[wonderings]

We switched from an old Presstek Dimension CTP a few years ago to a Screen CTP of the same age (Platerite 4100). The Screen has been fantastic and compared to the Presstek it is a dream. We bought ours used and were told that they have not changed much over the years so buying a new one over a used one does not make a whole lot of sense for most people. The Screen CTP are also used and rebadged by different companies as well, so lots of parts available.

 

[TSchreur]

Cruisin -- I am in the same situation with our Prosetter. We make plates for 2 GTO's and a 1c w/"T-head" Ryobi duplicator. I am waiting on HB to test their Chemfree 101 plate. We have an appropriate 60mw laser that they say will work. Of course they are also pushing their Suprasetter and new workflow. Not a cheep option!
I am also comparing Fuji Dart 4300 that can work with our existing HB workflow by sending a 1bit tiff to the Fuji XMF gateway.

 

[cruisin]

TSchreur from what I have been told your 60mw laser should work fine but do some testing and let us know. Unfortunately, I have the 5mw which I understand is useless.