Ink Jet as replacement for film...sizing accuracy?

[schenkadere]

Looking into the new Epson T series geared towards architectural/engineering...I would imagine the print size would have to be accurate.

 

[schenkadere]

Well, our filmsetter finally bit the dust. I purchased a the Epson Surecolor T-5270 and have been messing with it for a few days. I'm not very happy. I can't find a really good clear media. Trying Sihl and Cartolith. Has anyone made a successful transition from film to inkjet? I'm only making dielines, no screens, but accuracy is important. So far the Sihl material gives me much more dimensionally accurate results which is bizarre to me that the media would matter, but it does. The Cartolith is always short, but hold the ink like a magnet. The Sihl will smudge with some pressure. IDK...I'm frustrated.

 

[prepressing]

If you are still looking for a solution we would look forward to the opportunity to send you some film samples from our equipment. Our thermal imagesetter has extremely accurate registration and repeatability (plus or minus 0.01% measured at a length of 60 inches).

You can find out more about our systems on the following page: http://rti-rips.com/ImagesetterSystems.html

We have several customers using our systems for making dielines. I should also mention that the films are both waterproof and archival lasting as long as 20 years or more.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

What resolution are you printing and is it symmetrical or asymmetrical?

Are you using the Epson driver or a RIP?


Stephen Marsh

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Setup a test file with rectangles of a known width/height - such as 250 x 500mm etc. Rotate a copy of the rectangle 90 degrees.

Are they both the same measured dimensions, or is the one in the media travel direction different to the one in the print head path direction?


Stephen Marsh

 

[schenkadere]

Using the Epson driver which is very limited. It's the standard version printer and I wonder if the PS version would give me more options.
I will test further tomorrow but it seems to be a problem in the feed direction. Maybe it's the difference in tension between the rolls?

 

[schenkadere]

I do have an Oris RIP.

 

[schenkadere]

Size problem is only in the feed direction. Experimenting with creating a custom paper to possibly correct that.

 

[dabob]

Just saw this thread .. . reminds me of when I had capstan roller based imagesetter - Agfa 9600 - there were repeatability problems over longer pieces but there was a function to set the feed roller to "Top Dead Center" so that the film would feed from the same point on the roller every time - it helped if the rollers were out of round . .

 

[schenkadere]

Yeah, those capstan imagesetters weren't fun. I was a Scitex guy from the beginning so I never had to deal with that.

 

[schenkadere]

It seems that the answer in in the Paper Feed Adjustment. Just takes a lot of experimentation. Each clear substrate is quite different. Must be a matter of tension, tackiness, etc.

 

[schenkadere]

Mitsubishi Clear Proof 180 is the answer...must be the 3" core that makes the difference...stable through the entire roll after the initial paper feed adjustment...no issues since.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Mitsubishi Clear Proof 180 is the answer...must be the 3" core that makes the difference...stable through the entire roll after the initial paper feed adjustment...no issues since.

Thank you for the feedback/updating the thread!


Stephen Marsh