SCREEN 4300 laser Diodes burning out quiclky using Kodak plates?

[Duncan Hyde]

Hi Everyone,

We continuously have to replace diodes as they run low real fast, up to 4-5 a year so far and know we have to replace four more. We are also told that we need to clean the lens regularly couple times a month. Also we are told by the re-seller its probably due to us not using Kodak plates and not Fuji plates.

This is costing us a bag of money now due to the fact that we do not have a service contract with SCREEN.

To see my issue, we had a CREO LOTEM 400 running for years and never had to replace or clean lenses at all only a power board and this was a used machine on top of that since we've made the switch to SCREEN and unanounced to us that we would be faced with this laser diode issue. We bought the SCREEN new in 2009 and it has a 16CH head so far out of those 16 we have changed all except for the last original 4.

Has anyone else experienced or is experiencing this issue??

Thanks - Duncan

 

[zoran]

Sorry, no experience with Screen devices but I heard they are good, perhaps I've heard wrong.
We still use 14 years old Creo Trendsetter but have Preventive Maintenace every 6 months.
As part of PM tech cleans lens, lubricates parts and inspects the machine.

Is the environment you have device in up to standard with humidity and clean?

 

[CHAVEZ]

Dear Duncan:

What brand or type of plates are you using? Probably, probably you are using some kind of ablative plate, because is not normal clean 2 times by month the optic system. See the power intensity that your are usign on each laser. Do you use a processor to developer the plates? I have customer using Fuji plates since 2010, in this time we replaced 3 lasers, and each 3 months we clean the optic system I hope it can help you to see the problem.

 

[erictoray]

Duncan,

The higher the laser power output the higher the failure rate. This will not matter if the CTP is Screen, Kodak or SOB (some other brand).
Ablative plates need more laser energy around 300 mJ where "normal" thermal plates are 120-150 mJ of energy. Ablative plates and some traditional thermal plates will generate a certain amount of debris when exposed, that is why Kodak has the debris removal (shop vac) alongside their machines.

 

[CHAVEZ]

Dear Duncan, the point of view of erictoray is correct, tha ablative plates or similar needs more power. Check again the kind of plates. Good day.

 

[ansoft]

Dear Duncan,
The most probable problem is not working vacuum pump VP41, that makes positive pressure in the head. The other thing is connected to the ablative plates especially Kodak Electra XD. It produces a lot of dust and the optics get dirty very quickly. The third thing is wrong setting of the plate on the SCREEN. Please use not more than 95% laser power. Normally for PT-R4300, 95% laser power on 950 rpm or 1000 rpm is enough for correct exposure of a plate. If you use chinese plates, your savings from the plates are spent for diodes.
If you use Fujifilm LH-PJE or LH-PLE, you will not have this issue.
Good luck!

 

[Duncan Hyde]

Hi Chavez,

We are using Kodak Excel thermal plates and our exposure setting is 85% @ 1000 rpm and the machine has a debris removal unit alongside connected to the LD head with a vacuum pump which was similar to the CREO Lotem maybe its not doing the job well as the Creo Debris removal unit.

The technicians are now mentioning the ablative aspect of the plates we are using vs. the cross-linking polymer plates.

Duncan