Custom Marks on Plate (device setup) 'Not the Sheet'

[Bansheei]

Hi there guys,

Im hoping someone out there could steer me in the right direction with custom marks in PREPS.

I have set up the plate sizes in [Device Setup] &
Set up the templates (temps, impo, sig) as normal

when sending a job to plate I select the job, signature & choose the device setup (plate size, plate Grip) that is appropriate for the particular job. ALL GOOD SO FAR!!!

Question is...
I know how to apply custom marks on the Template (Sheet), but...

***Is there a way of putting custom marks on the Plate... so the marks don't print on the paper, only the plate...

We have digital stepwedges (RIP Calib check) & digital control strips (plate/processor/platesetter checks) that we want to 'image on the plate', but 'Outside' the Sheet boundaries (not on the sheet - on the plate only).

Any advise, is very appreciated.

 

[Avisciciulli]

I've done the same thing by putting those marks into the grip of the plate so we can all read them, but they never see any ink as they're in the plate lockup.

Without seeing how you're making your Preps templates, it's hard to say specifically where you need to apply it, but you can use a negative Y coordinate to drop the mark below the sheet or template. As long as it is covered by your tiling (if you're using it) it will image. This can be a little tricky depending on the how the film or plate is imaged though. Some platesetters require a grip of their own, so you have a very limited amount of room to work with.

If you're only using Preps as a template editor, and your workflow software determines where the Preps template (aka "the press sheet) sits on the plate, then I'd suggest looking at the workflow software for the answer.

If you have a version with them, I highly recommend the SmartMarks for this. Play around with them first. Basically, make one, save it, then apply it to all of the impositions in the template.

One caveat though, if you're using the same impositions for multiple plate sizes, you may run into a problem with this, but hopefully, you can find an area common to the lead grip on both plate sizes.

–AV