going to thermal

[rbailleu]

looking for input. anyone go through a switch from a violet ctp to thermal. specifically a prosetter to a suprasetter with chemfree 101. any big issues on press. was it perfectly seamless?

 

[chevalier]

I've used the Prosetter (violet), Suprasetter (thermal) and Topsetter (thermal) with Heidelberg(AGFA) violet and thermal plates and Fuji thermal plates. The Suprasetters I have worked with were far more reliable than the Prosetters. I have never had serious issues with either thermal plate. The violet plates are much more chemistry and environmentally sensitive. With violet plates expect to replace the plate processor and/or entire roller system before the life of the plate-setter. The switches I have made were from violet to thermal and went off flawlessly. I also worked at a plant for a while that had switched from thermal (via DI) to violet (via Prosetter) just before I came on and they had a lot of issues with plate stability with the violet plates.

The violet plates have some advantages but if your runs are short (<200,000 impressions on average) and you want a low-maintenance, higher-stability solution switch to thermal.

 

[rbailleu]

couple questions. I have been told that violet(silver) plates come up to color faster than thermal. did you find this to be the case? were the plate stability issues due to chemistry cleanliness or are the plates inherently more stable due to coating/emulsion used? did you use the plates with ipa or sub?

 

[Marko]

re: going to thermal

looking for input. anyone go through a switch from a violet ctp to thermal. specifically a prosetter to a suprasetter with chemfree 101. any big issues on press. was it perfectly seamless?

Went from a Prosetter to a suprasetter. The change over took only a few days and all went smooth. The tech from HUS really stepped up tot he plate (Thanks Burt and Sibid)

As far as coming up to color-the pressmen loved the thermal NA plates (not chem free) as they are as stables as can be. If our old violet was even the slightest past due a good cleaning, I would lose my highlight dot.

Dont even get me started on the time of maintenance using the violet. I can only say I feel for those still using that dirty stuff. I still have shirts and shoes that will forever be purple (those using it know what I'm talking about)

 

[chevalier]

rbailleu,
Under ideal laboratory conditions you may come to color faster with violet. In my experiences there was no discernible difference. The violet plates are extremely sensitive, the slightest variation in processor or press chemistry seemed to set them astray (which means every cleaning cycle, which is at a minimum monthly). As far as fountain solution goes I would contact the plate specialist with whomever's plate you decide to go with and contact a technical representative with your ink vendor as to what fountain solution they suggest. I've been through a few fountain-solution change overs that did NOT go smoothly at all.

Marko,
I've got a whole set of purple clothes. We called our Prosetter's processor the rabid old man as he was incontinent, foaming at the mouth and extremely temperamental.

 

[marktonk]

Thanks Marko, you have a couple of good HD guys that did your install.

Rob, the NA is the big brother of Chemfree. It has double the run length and a little higher resolution but requires an additional clean out solution above the Gum. The bath will last along time before changing.


Best regards,

Mark

 

[Sev]

looking for input. anyone go through a switch from a violet ctp to thermal. specifically a prosetter to a suprasetter with chemfree 101. any big issues on press. was it perfectly seamless?

We also are getting ready to make the switch from violet to thermal. We are switching from Agfa LAP-V plates (which is a very good plate) to Kodak Thermal Direct processor-less plates. We had a set of thermal plates made for a press test. The file that was used to make the test plates were from a job that we printed on violet plates. The thermal plates (chem-free) rolled up press with no issues, and were right up to color in very few pulls. The printing was better than the same job that was printed on violet plates.

I am So ready to get away from that purple mess. Just like everyone else that uses violet plates, I too have a set of purple clothes.

-Sev

 

[rbailleu]

thanks for all the replies this was the info I was looking for. perhaps this seems like a simple decision but to me its a pretty big step going to a new ctp. and it is good to know that most everyone has had good luck.

 

[naveensaharan]

difference b/w thermal & ps

difference b/w thermal & ps

are violet plate & PS plate are same? & what is the basic difference b/w thermal & PS plate . CAN WE USE BOTH THE PLATES ON SAME CTP?