Sonora Thermal Plate from Kodak

[UK Printer]

Morning All,

we have Nexpress and have been offered a very good deal from Kodak to move our current plates from a low chem system to one using their process less plates, so no messing round with the processor.

I wanted to know if anyone was using them? Do they present any issues with the press (developing on the press) i know they used to be a problem, but Kodak say these new ones are the bees knees.

Its a great deal, and i'd love to upgrade our workflow and put in a thermal system, but its a big move, we use around 2500 - 3000 plates a month at the mo.

Tim

 

[Joe Duffy]

If you do a bunch of short runs, it can be an issue with the build-up of the coating in the fountains of the press.
You will have to test it with all of your chems to make sure it performs as you expect.

 

[Sev]

Morning All,

we have Nexpress and have been offered a very good deal from Kodak to move our current plates from a low chem system to one using their process less plates, so no messing round with the processor.

I wanted to know if anyone was using them? Do they present any issues with the press (developing on the press) i know they used to be a problem, but Kodak say these new ones are the bees knees.

Its a great deal, and i'd love to upgrade our workflow and put in a thermal system, but its a big move, we use around 2500 - 3000 plates a month at the mo.

Tim

We switched from Agfa violet plates to Kodak Thermal Direct plates about 11 months ago. It took a bit of work and time to get the curves dialed in, since we cant read the plates with our plate measuring device (iC Plate II), but once we got it dialed in, the plates worked very well. The press operators like them, and there are no issues with development on press. Run length is great, and the quality is better than with our Agfa violet plates. The best part, is no processor to maintain, which with violet plates was a very messy job.

-Sev

 

[KamilT]

What about Brillia PRO-T3?

What about Brillia PRO-T3?

Hi Tim,
imho it is worth to check Fujifilm Brillia Pro-T3 plates, before you make any decision.
Definitely very good plate, third generation, work great in press (but i know nothing about pricing in your area).

All the best,
KamilT

I wanted to know if anyone was using them? Do they present any issues with the press (developing on the press) i know they used to be a problem, but Kodak say these new ones are the bees knees.


Tim

 

[ChristopheF1]

One of my customers is running them over a year ( was beta side ) on a 2 colour 74 and a 4 colors 74..They are very happy with it..more contrast on the plate, at a higher speed
flashed on a SupraSetter A type ( Gen II ).
Even with PMS colors it run's fine...They don't want to go back to their former platen ( Thermal direct )
We also, as always...had good support from Kodak
All the best,
Christophe

 

[Apphoard]

We are thinking of running these Kodak Sonora plates. How do they hold up after being imaged and then sitting? Do you have to gum them ? Are they fine for days without a gum? We now run the horrible Presstek freedom pro plate and they need to be gummed within hours of being imaged or you will get little dots everywhere. The dots are hard to get rid of.

 

[Jackie]

We just did a test on some Sonora plates today at our shop, we were told that they were imaged several weeks ago. We put them on the press and had good results on the first pull. We are currently running Thermal Direct and the image is much stronger on the Sonora and the pressmen were happy with the initial performance.