Galileo VS

[Seagull]

Hello all, Happy New Year !

We have a Galileo VS in place since 2005, which has a 60MW laser. Everything is working fine but i have a question about plate exposure.

In the past 6 months our plate exposure has gone from about 200 to 300 to give us a correct plate.

After almost 8 years i would assume the laser starts to get a little weaker but should i be alarmed by this change, has anyone been in a similar situation.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated !!

 

[Armya Inc]

Hello all, Happy New Year !

We have a Galileo VS in place since 2005, which has a 60MW laser. Everything is working fine but i have a question about plate exposure.

In the past 6 months our plate exposure has gone from about 200 to 300 to give us a correct plate.

After almost 8 years i would assume the laser starts to get a little weaker but should i be alarmed by this change, has anyone been in a similar situation.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated !!

The weakness of Galileo violet Laser unlike Thermal Laser is out of question. Having said this, the problem is with alignment of the Laser specially PWM(pulse width modulation) which has to be carried out for every new plates or chemistry's batches and new parameters entered into the DEC board. This issue often ignored by owners and service representatives.The discussion about this is lengthy and can't be done in this forum. Simply do the alignment for the Laser from start to end Instead of running the Laser with higher required power.Happy New Year and wish you the best for the year 2013.

 

[VladCanada]

Question number one: when (last time) did you performed optics cleaning procedure?
After that you could start to discuss BOL Sensor sensitivity adjustments and other steps
with your local AGFA tech (or other freelancer who is experienced in Galileo).

 

[Armya Inc]

Question number one: when (last time) did you performed optics cleaning procedure?
After that you could start to discuss BOL Sensor sensitivity adjustments and other steps
with your local AGFA tech (or other freelancer who is experienced in Galileo).

You will see a yellow brownish layer on the imaged plate which is the sign of dirty optics and a warning to clean them.

 

[VladCanada]

You will see a yellow brownish layer on the imaged plate which is the sign of dirty optics and a warning to clean them.

Correct for LAP-V plates, but not for Photopolymer ones.

 

[Seagull]

Thanks for the input gentlemen, we clean the mirror once a week, but it's been almost a year since we had Agfa come in for any verification. I think it's time to call them in !

 

[VladCanada]

My Customer (VS, 60 mW laser) uses last generation of photopolymer plates and now has 430 exposure value after completed "optics recalibration"

 

[Armya Inc]

Thanks for the input gentlemen, we clean the mirror once a week, but it's been almost a year since we had Agfa come in for any verification. I think it's time to call them in !

Hi,

Just make sure all lenses, specially the ones under the black plastic cover, which often ignored by service engineers as they are hard to reach and time taking, are cleaned beside the reachable lens and the spinner mirror. The edge detect sensor has to be cleaned and wiped thoroughly as well. Good Luck.

 

[Armya Inc]

My Customer (VS, 60 mW laser) uses last generation of photopolymer plates and now has 430 exposure value after completed "optics recalibration"

He has never mentioned the type of plate he has been using , but from the exposure value, I guess and not 100% sure, it should be Silver Halide Violet Plate(LAP-V) and not the Polymer Plate. Having mentioned this, I still feel the exposure for the Silver Halide Plate has to be started from somewhere like 200 to 250.

 

[VladCanada]

200 units - is startpoint for LAP-V, so your idea, what type of plates they use, was correct.

 

[Seagull]

Thanks again guys, we are using Lap-V plates, our exposure has gone from 200 to about 285-295. Thanks for the info on the extra cleaning required, will get back !

 

[Armya Inc]

Thanks again guys, we are using Lap-V plates, our exposure has gone from 200 to about 285-295. Thanks for the info on the extra cleaning required, will get back !

I have to make a correction on this which is the exposure for 60MW Laser starts at 200 to 250 and not 420. 420 exposure is for 5MW Laser. As I mentioned recalibration of the Laser is an important part of quality of the imaged plate which has to be done regularly as well. After all you own one of the best systems to provide you with highest quality of plates.

Good luck!