screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

beermonster

Well-known member
Mr Steve Agfa (and anyone with good info too)

I like the azura plate. chem free or whatever - i like it - we tested it - worked fine.

i have a small budget to get ctp - and I have in mind a screen 8600 pt-r (second hand sadly)

my question: does the 8600 have any issues with the azura plate? is a very fine "dust" created, thus meaning the ctp needs a special extraction "unit" fitted to ensure clean running? plate size 1030 x 800 (one plate size here).

a dealer has mentioned this issue - i want to check this with someone in the know. (the dealer by the way - does NOT sell consumables, and is in no way connected with a plate manufacturer).

thanks - all info appreciated
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Beer:

That contact of yours has some good information. I was
about to say that I don't know of any such requirement, but in checking some qualification spreadsheets, I did indeed find a special requirement for that model.

As oppossed to the other Screen units that don't require
any air filtration, the 8600 is the only Screen model
listed in the chart I have in hand (there might be more
recent data on the other units) that requires such a kit

See if you can get an AF170 kit from your Screen supplier. There also might be some updated in-put rollers, as we use in the Acento.

However, my word is not Gospel -
I'd prefer that you check with your local Agfa and
Screen service organizations for the final word.

Enjoy!
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Steve,

thanks for that. this is news to me - only came to light this morning.

going to have a major re-think on what to get now sadly.

budget means no new kit.

now my choices

screen 8600 with fuji pro-t (but utilising a wash out unit)

or

screen 8000 with azura plate (which is a downer due to the speed degredation on that ctp)

unless some agfa person, or even an anonymous poster might give a clue as to how fast the new azura will run? <ahem>

thanks again steve
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

FYI - i'm asking about the new azura speed as i believe it will be faster, but don't want to compromise production speed with an 8000 ctp

it may be i'm forced down the pro-t route (someone somewhere is making wash-out units for fuji - they may not thank me for telling you that) to compensate for the lack of QC ability, to cover clean out issues on press and to cover the fact it cant be made too soon before hitting press as it continues to expose.
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Beer:

Not to minimize any additional costs,
but I'd suspect that the kit would be
in-field retro-fit"able". Your Agfa or
Screen agent might have the details...

Regards,
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

yes steve it is

but to fit the extraction unit costs too much - it all adds up and pushes the actual cost away from my budget

which is a real pain - that 8600 unit is pretty solid

now - about the speed of new azura.......whats your price steve? everyone has a price....

:)
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Beer...

(no, that's not what it will take!)

I know of no such plate. However, I suspect that
our drupa press briefing next month will address
new products in our portfolio.

However, just because something is announced
for one market, say - for Europe, doesn't mean that
it will have the same time-table for release in another
region, due to the local manufacturing capacity and capabilities.

It's best to work with your local Agfa rep.

Regards,


So tell me again why a clean-out unit is available for Pro-T ?(smile).
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

So tell me again why a clean-out unit is available for Pro-T ?(smile).

The simple reason is:

1. Some presses have auto predamp that does not allow for just the right amount of wetting (revolutions) before the stickyness is optimized for removal. The cost to alter the computerized predamp is as one would expect, enormous (tens of thousands).

It might be therefore worthwhile developing the plates beforehand. Look at it this way, you can do either I believe and perhaps that fact alone makes the plate universally better. Plus an 8600 then does not need a kit attached! Or OTOH, get the kit and use the Agfa plate.

Now consider price, proce of any solutions needed, run length, print quality. Surely these are far more important than whether or not the plate is pre-processed or not.

John W
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Hi John:

Perhaps as a reminder to the broader forum -
Agfa's ThermoLite was launched in 2000, as
an on-press imaging and roll-up/clean-out plate.

We demo'd ThermoLite as an off-press image,
and on-press clean-out application at that same
drupa.

Azura is based on this same ThermoFuse
technology. As such it too "can" be cleaned
out on press, but due to all the benefits of
off-press clean-out that you and Beer
mentioned (in part), we launched Azura
as an off-press clean-out plate system.

It too shares the ability of Pro-T and ThermalDirect
of on-press clean-out, but we certainly don't
recommend this as a pratical and "universal"
application or solution.

Regards,
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Steve,

What's the contrast like on the Azura before processing? (if we were to run it like a thermal direct)?

Would it have the same 1 hour in white light, 4 hours yellow light sensitivity?

Just wondering whether we could use it for video plate punching before developing on press.

regards,

Dwane.
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Mr Willis

the points you raised are exactly the same ones i'm dealing with

the azura, while good, is slow. on the 8600 the speed with azura would have been acceptable - sadly the 8600 has issues with azura.

choices:

8600 with azura and special kit - probably not - too costly

8000II P-TR with faster azura plate (as long as there is one!) - the faster plate will compensate for the slower ctp unit - giving acceptable speeds

8600 with pro-t and wash out - no speed issues and a clean plate, also a good plate, on press

both plates will cover our run lengths

now where we go will also be affected by plate price - dont shoot me on this but i think (am researching so cut me some slack) the pro-t is more expensive

Steve Agfa - thanks for the info sir - always handy, and that cheque is in the post as promised.......(heehee)
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Dwane:



Q:
What's the contrast like on the Azura before processing? (if we were to run it like a thermal direct)?

A:
Although one could argue one's plate contrast pre- clean-out, they all are impractical.

Q:
Would it have the same 1 hour in white light, 4 hours yellow light sensitivity?

A:
Azura is not white light sensitive -
I've dealt with plates that we've had as samples -
imaged months ahead of time - with no ambient
light impact pre-clean-out. (and no dark paper bags/boxes.)

Q:
Just wondering whether we could use it for video plate punching before developing on press.

A:
I wouldn't think that this is practical.

Azura is an optimized system - beyond just the plate technology - to deliver a wide exposure latitude, high
image contrast, and clean roll-up on press.

This issue of wide exposure latitude is something the "other" processless plates don't wish to address.
We have a 60 mJ window of "correct exposure".

Azura is truly a "set-it, and forget-it" plate system,
when used as designed.

Regards,

Steve.
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

when i got some test plates made i missed my test run on press, so we stored the plates where we store all our conventional imaged plates and ran them 3 weeks later at the next available press slot - no problems whatsoever.
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

Beer:

Following-up on an earlier question -

Here's an excerpt from WhatTheyThink.com today on our new faster Azura - Azura TS:

<snip>
The :Azura TS builds on the success of the original :Azura by combining a gum-based clean-out with a more sensitive coating, resulting in significantly higher throughput on thermal platesetters, including the new :Avalon N range of products. An increase of about 50% can be achieved with the :Azura TS resulting (subject to press conditions) in as many as 100,000 impressions. Also, improved contrast will make visual inspections much easier for users.
<snip>

I suspect you'll see the most dramatic speed increase on devices such as the Screen product in which you are interested.

Please check with your local Agfa representative for local timetable of availability.

Regards,
 
Re: screen 8600, azura plates - Mr Steve Agfa - u there?

steve

thanks for that - it's about what i guesstimated, and about what an agfa rep did finally tell me

the 100k impressions fits it finally into place for us nicely.

i did look at pro-t again - but was concerned what happened to the excess crap when we are not running to full sheet size - here we use one plate size, but many sheet sizes.

naaa - pro t is good, but not for us at this point in time.
 

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