Waterless

[Yoga]

Does anyone have any experience with waterless plates in sheetfed offset that they could share here? Could someone please explain the disadvantages and cost comparisons when compared to using regular plates in sheetfed offset?

Hoping!

Yoga

 

[Cornishpastythighs]

Your press would need to be specially configured to run waterless plates. It would need very stable and controlled roller and/or cylinder cooling systems to achieve the image/non image print areas. We tried it with a regular press that had controlled ink roller temperatures and it was a disaster. Scumming would require decrease in ink temperature, weak colour would require increase in ink temperature and so on. Goog luck

 

[Yoga]

Your press would need to be specially configured to run waterless plates. It would need very stable and controlled roller and/or cylinder cooling systems to achieve the image/non image print areas. We tried it with a regular press that had controlled ink roller temperatures and it was a disaster. Scumming would require decrease in ink temperature, weak colour would require increase in ink temperature and so on. Goog luck

Thanks for the warning! I just wanted to know for knowledge's sake...it was one of 'the things' in the last DRUPA afterall

 

[turbotom1052]

although temp. control of the inker would be ideal if you wanted to print waterless it can be done on very limited runs without the temp. control. Whats most important is a cool and stable temp. in the pressroom, a really quick makeready, and a very short run. Ive done this on a limited edition prints where the run was under 500 sheets. This was before cip press data so im thinking that with accurate cip data you will be able to get an even quicker makeready and perhaps even run a little more that 500 sheets before the inker gets heated up enough to start causing print problems. We would do these first thing in the morning when the press was cold from sitting overnight. Although it was a real challenge, it was not impossible! One thing i do remember was that in between pulls you would not want the press to remain idling while you made your color adjustments.