Plate setup help please!

[suzanncrist]

Hi! I'm a veteran graphic designer working for a small publisher, and we don't have a pre-press operator so that task falls on me. My press man speaks very broken English with a heavy accent (and no patience), and I speak no Spanish. I received no training when I started here, and am fumbling with getting my plates set up right so the press guy is happy (instead of yelling at me no matter what I do). I know how to operate the machine, but where I am confused is how to set up the page the plate, i.e. gripper margins (that is the biggest issue). We print a variety of sheet sizes (max. 12 x 18, but mostly letter or tabloid), bleed and no bleed. I am using RIPMate for windows software (a really OLD version), and a Mitsubishi DXP platesetter. Any help you can provide this neophyte would be SO appreciated! I feel like an idiot, even though I know I'm not!

 

[wonderings]

Not sure how your software works with all that, but we have it setup for the two sizes of plates we use, 1 for our 4 colour Komoro (large plates) and one setup for our quickmasters (smaller plates). The gripper should be the same for each plate you use for one press. So for our komori, we are never changing gripper margins for the sheet. When this is setup, I just change on the computer for the plates we are making and it adjusts for the proper plate. Now when I send an imposed file for plates, I impose on the sheet size for the press and in almost all cases we centre on the sheet.

If we are printing on our Quickmaster on 12 x 18, the gripper is always on the short edge, so 12. We do this for 99% of the jobs that go to plate for the Quickmaster.

I am sure someone can explain this better, not sure if I am making sense.

 

[maxon]

Hi suzanncrist, gripper margins are specific for each offset machine. What presses do you have there ?

 

[suzanncrist]

We have an itek - the gripper margin in the manual for the printer says 8mm. In what instances would I ever change this? A former prepress person made a "cheat sheet" for setting up plates, but there is no rational logic behind the numbers, and they change based on bleed/no bleed and sheet size. Its SO confusing.

 

[pacart]

Usually you would never change the gripper unless specifically told to, some jobs are squeezed onto the plate, usually with the pressman's input.

 

[suzanncrist]

That makes sense! If only my communication with the pressman wasn't almost non-existent (due to the language barrier), this would be easy. Sometimes I make a plate one way and he complains, then when I say I will make a different one, he says don't worry its fine. Classic. What would the reasons be to change the gripper margin?

 

[maxon]

I've sent you a private message.

 

[pacart]

sometimes things might be run to size and placement of artwork could dictate which end feeds first. So items that run to size still need a gripper, but that gripper is included in finish size, so gripper could be compromized.

 

[WishIWasScotty]

I need to leave 0.5" for the edge of the plate that folds when put into the press; I add this using the bleed area in AI or InD. Depending which quickmaster press we're using I may need to keep the copy .25" to .375" away from the edge of the paper; so I just typically go for .375". If you're printing an item that has bleed, you need to make sure the edge of the bleed area begins after the non printable area on the grip edge of the paper which will push the actual edge of the finished item farther back. We run some jobs on finished size paper especially on the smaller presses so having some minor variations seems to make sense. Not sure if that helps?

 

[pacart]

Whenever I'm not sure, I always ask the pressman what he would prefer. While I see you have a language barrier, maybe someone could translate?

 

[suzanncrist]

Thanks everyone. You are all very helpful!

 

[tomcatinc]

The plate gripper margin and paper gripper margin are constant. Depending on software you use, you could define boundaries=margins for print size.

In Indesign or other DTP you can make the document size equal to plate size with no bleeds. Use margins to define paper size and position relative to plate. My good practice is to use margins to define exact paper size plus one guideline to define gripper margin. Make one file per each paper size. That way you can always have contents starting at the same place on plate = you will have paper-on-plate template. And your pressman will give you the parameters only once. Every other situation, he can not blame you.
In Illustrator or similar programs, you can define the document size equal to plate size with no bleed. Use guidelines to define paper properties same way as I described for Indesign. Make them on separate layer and lock that layer. That way you will also produce needed paper-on-plate templates for all paper sizes you use.

All this depends if your platesetter can set it margins to zero. If not, make templates in accordance with defined margins in platesetter. For calculation, plate margins + your document (no bleeds) = plate size. Usually, platesetters can use full plate width and have margins for height.

It will take some effort to make all templates in all programs you need but once you do it, you will use them many times and change only when your company changes the printing machine. That would save your precious time, ears and nerves.

 

[suzanncrist]

Thanks! This is very helpful. I am using Illustrator to set up a good template.