JetPlate Issues

[PrepressMarty]

OK everyone - I'm back after what, about 10 years? Amazing how far CTP has come since we first migrated Time and Newsweek back in the mid-90s!

Last week I unretired and took a position running prepress for a local printer/mailer. I inherited a JetPlate 4800, which, from what I read here today is not necessarily a good thing. It's definitely not a CREO, but it also didn't cost two arms and three legs!

It's having "issues", which seem to be processing-related, and I can't get JetPlate to answer the phone or my emails...

I was told that these "issues" started when Kodak modified plate production sometime earlier this year. It hasn't been used since then, which is probably going to be another set of problems, but for now, I'm curious if:

1. Anyone here has a special contact at JetPlate, and,
2. Has anyone had a similiar experience

I hope this forum is as helpful as it was way back when...

 

[KevinC@EFI]

<snip>I inherited a JetPlate 4800, which, from what I read here today is not necessarily a good thing. It's definitely not a CREO, but it also didn't cost two arms and three legs!

It's having "issues", which seem to be processing-related, and I can't get JetPlate to answer the phone or my emails...

I was told that these "issues" started when Kodak modified plate production sometime earlier this year.
</snip>

Hi Marty - I'm not aware of any significant changes we would have had major impact on such a system, but then again it's not something we test for in manufacturing either. I haven't seen any other reports of issues with JetPlate devices, but seeing as it's an unsupported application of our plates I'm not sure our Quality group would accept or log such complaints either (we simply don't design or test for that system).

I'll check internally and if I find anything helpful I'll let you know.

Kevin.

 

[Tommy B]

JetPlate

JetPlate

I believe Jetplate to be in bankruptcy. We were selling the Kodak plate to Jetplate customers and had some issues with certain batches of emulsion not clearing. But to my knowledge they are still working. There is supposedly another ink that will work with the agfa N-555 plates and another that will work with the IBF plate.

 

[InkjetCTP_waste_of_money]

Whats up - No you wont get any of them to answer the phones

Whats up - No you wont get any of them to answer the phones

OK everyone - I'm back after what, about 10 years? Amazing how far CTP has come since we first migrated Time and Newsweek back in the mid-90s!

Last week I unretired and took a position running prepress for a local printer/mailer. I inherited a JetPlate 4800, which, from what I read here today is not necessarily a good thing. It's definitely not a CREO, but it also didn't cost two arms and three legs!

It's having "issues", which seem to be processing-related, and I can't get JetPlate to answer the phone or my emails...

I was told that these "issues" started when Kodak modified plate production sometime earlier this year. It hasn't been used since then, which is probably going to be another set of problems, but for now, I'm curious if:

1. Anyone here has a special contact at JetPlate, and,
2. Has anyone had a similiar experience

I hope this forum is as helpful as it was way back when...

I feel for you man, I used to be the lead technician for JetPlate, since I was let go in the company has spiraled downhill to the point you see them now. You will not get any help from them since it is only 1 used car saleman running the place and his kid. No techs - no support - and no more company, I hear they are trying to sell a knock off to the Technova machine, but that will not fly either if he is involved with it, the guy has burned too many bridges in this business.


I will try to help you as much as I can, I feel sorry for the people that were deceived by this guy.

Send me some questions and I will try to help you.

 

[InkjetCTP_waste_of_money]

I believe Jetplate to be in bankruptcy. We were selling the Kodak plate to Jetplate customers and had some issues with certain batches of emulsion not clearing. But to my knowledge they are still working. There is supposedly another ink that will work with the agfa N-555 plates and another that will work with the IBF plate.

Forget about any other plates, the kodak plate is/was the only plate that ever worked. There was a fluid for the n555 agfa plate but the plate ill not stay together on the press so it is a mute point.

 

[KevinC@EFI]

I'll check internally and if I find anything helpful I'll let you know.
Kevin.

FYI - I checked with manufacturing; there hasn't been a significant change to our Craftsman Elite plates since December 2007 when we converted from gravure coating to a slot-coating system.

Sorry - I hope you can find a solution, especially with no support from JetPlate forthcoming either.

Kevin.

 

[InkjetCTP_waste_of_money]

Jp Is done

Jp Is done

Yeah, I keep getting calls daily from the people JetPlate refuses to help and support. Pretty sad....

I can only offer what I can...

 

[printshop]

We are in the same situation as you. Jetplate is missing in action and have been for about a month. Current they have been converted to a Chapter 7, which would explain the present inability to contact them.

However, prior to that, you could leave a message with an issue, but would never get a return call. No servicing of the units at all. We haven't been able to use ours system for months.

I have heard rumors that they are trading under another name. Has anyone heard this? If so, do you know the name, maybe we can get service thru them.

 

[Tommy B]

Jet plate

Jet plate

Here it is
Xpress jet
813-932-0876
xpressjetllc.com

 

[cletus010]

jetplate issues

jetplate issues

there is definitely a issue with the Kodak plates.... still is, as of today.... not only with the emulsion, but also in the availability... xpressjet is not much better at answering the phone or faxes either... I am pretty sure i know the former Jetplate employee.... all customer service definitely stopped when he left..

i am sorry to hear that the additional plates and fluids were also a ruse..

we have learned a lot about the maintenance and workability of the 4800 system on our own
we finally got it to work pretty well...........now if we only had some plates to put in it..... your Texas connection

 

[KevinC@EFI]

there is definitely a issue with the Kodak plates.... still is, as of today.... not only with the emulsion, but also in the availability...

I'm sure this won't help, but at least I hope it makes things clear: Kodak has announced to our customers and dealers that we are discontinuing the Craftsman Elite plate at the end of this year, and converting customers to Winner where appropriate. Customers can place orders for Craftsman Elite through mid December. The USA market simply won't support the three different negative conventional plates that we've had up until now.

Unfortunately I don't have a recommendation for alternatives for JetPlate users - it's not something we ever intended our plates to be used for, nor have we ever done any testing on it.

Kevin.

 

[cletus010]

Kodak Craftsman Elite Metal Plates

Kodak Craftsman Elite Metal Plates

Thanks for the response... our dilemma.... .. no Kodak Craftsman Elite plates.....ctp system no workeeee... there is no alternatives that we have been able to find.... Can we buy the plates directly from Kodak?????.. Our immediate problem is that all the Kodak dealers we have contacted are telling us they cannot get the plates from Kodak... They are back-ordered
(just a term that i am sure means something else)...We use aprox 700 plates a month total ( 2 sizes) and we normally keep 3 mo supply on hand. We are getting low....low.....

Now to get out of the trap.... We are looking at a ECRM MAKO 2x CTP system as a replacement to what we have... Anyone know the pros and cons of the system... I looks pretty good so long as you don't get one of the 5mW laser models.. (Yellow safe light).. we are wanting a daylight system... Any suggestions????

thanks ... your Texas connection

 

[marktonk]

The mako has a violet laser and will require yellow safelights to keep the plate from being exposed regardless if the laser is 5mW laser or more (the plates are white light sensitive). If you have an auto loader, you could run in daylight conditions. We offer this on our violet Prosetter CtP or you can go thermal with our Suprasetter A52, our thermal plates are daylight safe

Regards,
Mark

 

[KevinC@EFI]

Thanks for the response... our dilemma.... .. no Kodak Craftsman Elite plates.....ctp system no workeeee... there is no alternatives that we have been able to find.... Can we buy the plates directly from Kodak?????.. Our immediate problem is that all the Kodak dealers we have contacted are telling us they cannot get the plates from Kodak... They are back-ordered
(just a term that i am sure means something else)...We use aprox 700 plates a month total ( 2 sizes) and we normally keep 3 mo supply on hand. We are getting low....low.....

I'll send you a private note - if you can give me some more details, I'll see what I can do to get you sorted out.

Kevin.

 

[Heywoodwest]

Oh Rats!

Oh Rats!

I'm sure this won't help, but at least I hope it makes things clear: Kodak has announced to our customers and dealers that we are discontinuing the Craftsman Elite plate at the end of this year, and converting customers to Winner where appropriate. Customers can place orders for Craftsman Elite through mid December. The USA market simply won't support the three different negative conventional plates that we've had up until now.

Unfortunately I don't have a recommendation for alternatives for JetPlate users - it's not something we ever intended our plates to be used for, nor have we ever done any testing on it.

Kevin.

Well Kevin has sure ruined my day! Shoot the messenger is my motto (only joking Kevin, thanks for giving us a warning so we can start to think of a solution).

I've been happily using a second hand Jetplate system for the last year. Okay it's not the greatest ctp system in the world, but it did what we needed and was a lot better than our defunct film system. Now it looks like I'll be back in the market for a ctp system again. I checked around and saw some info on a processless system called VIM JT, looked a bit further and saw that Presstek were after them for patent infringement, so guess that's out.

Anyone getting rid of a 4-up processless ctp system cheap (and I mean cheap in this economy)?

David West

 

[KevinC@EFI]

I've been happily using a second hand Jetplate system for the last year. Okay it's not the greatest ctp system in the world, but it did what we needed and was a lot better than our defunct film system. Now it looks like I'll be back in the market for a ctp system again. I checked around and saw some info on a processless system called VIM JT, looked a bit further and saw that Presstek were after them for patent infringement, so guess that's out.

Anyone getting rid of a 4-up processless ctp system cheap (and I mean cheap in this economy)?

David West

I think Presstek was only suing VIM over their waterless DI plates - not the inkjet system they've shown. I'm not hugely impressed with inkjet systems overall, but I guess it depends on your needs and budget.

As I said though - you can place orders for Craftsman Elite through mid-December, so you're not in trouble for a while (especially if you can carry some inventory). We'll do what we can to help customers transition to Thermal CTP systems where it's appropriate, but of course that's a very different investment than inkjet.

For those other JetPlate / Craftsman Elite users out there, I've confirmed that there's nothing abnormal with supply of that product - I believe the issue that Cletus brought up is actually with his dealer not being a direct Kodak dealer. We'll help him sort that out though.

Kevin.

 

[cletus010]

rip navigator ques for inkjetCTP_waste_of_money

rip navigator ques for inkjetCTP_waste_of_money

Question for InkjetCTP_waste_of_money.... can i use my Jetplate RIP to output to a ECRM
Mako2.x that has a tiff catcher.... looking for easy transition of front end keeping work flow the same... i have navigator RIP xitron 7.1 ......i think...
does anyone know the answer???.. thanks... cletus010

Bye the bye Kevin@kodak is a stand-up guy... thanks for the help Kevin

 

[hagar]

Question for InkjetCTP_waste_of_money.... can i use my Jetplate RIP to output to a ECRM
Mako2.x that has a tiff catcher.... looking for easy transition of front end keeping work flow the same... i have navigator RIP xitron 7.1 ......i think...
does anyone know the answer???.. thanks... cletus010

Bye the bye Kevin@kodak is a stand-up guy... thanks for the help Kevin

I very much doubt it, Harlequin RIPs come in different guises according to dongle. They can be limited by resolution and specific plugins. As the Jet Plate was inkjet, it wou;ld have been cheaper for Jetplate to buy a special dongle just t for their plugin rather a complete open high res RIP

 

[Greentree]

Hi, everybody.
New user to the forum, have been a user of a JetPlate 7600 for a year now. After replacing the print head on the 7600 my system is usable, however the issue of plate availablity may make it useless for the future.
I have had no problem talking to M.S. at xpressjet, but can I trust what he tells me? Who knows?
So far we are at a dead end with VIM JT, had a contact with no response yet.
Let's keep this thread going - maybe some where a solution may come up for those of us who cannot upgrade.


UPDATE:

Just found this article about the new VIM JT plates...

http://members.whattheythink.com/news/index.cfm?id=40216

 

[cletus010]

MS at expressjet means well , but his time frames are way off...Supposedly there is to be another plate w/new marking fluids to be available in 30-60 days... I cannot rely on that time frame and have to make other arrangements or lay in a Years supply of Kodak Craftsman Elite plates. Or both... I understand Presstek also has a thermal plate unit....i am trying to run it down now.... we want to continue with a daylight system. There is also the Suprasetter A52.. another thermal unit.. good luck Greentree...Keep us posted...

Kevin@Kodak... will the Craftsman plates have a shelf life of 1 year plus in a conditioned space????
thanks...