Micropress has ordered a second Kodak Magnus platesetter to join its first fully automated line.
The additional plate production line is needed following investment in the UK’s first plate to unit long perfecting Speedmaster last year. This has brought down the average run lengths for multi section work that the Reyndon printer can take on.
The first Kodak platesetter is a Magnus Q800 with a T speed and single plate loader unit which automatically selects and loads plates into the imaging unit. It is capable of imaging 80 plates an hour. Once imaged the plates are sorted automatically, punched and bent ready for the robotic loading system.
The second plate line will be a 45 plates an hour Q800X with the same SPL loading and post imaging handling. This can be upgraded to the full 80 plates an hour specification at a later date. The Kodak unit will replace two Screen PlateRites which have been serving as back up to the first Magnus 800.
As well as the highly automated Speedmaster, which is edging Microprss towards hands-free printing, the plates are needed by two other long perfecting B1 Speedmasters.
Joint managing director Jamie Cross says that the imaging technology delivering consistent sharp dots for consistent, predictable print, from Kodak is key. “In our opinion, Squarespot stands out as a fantastic technology that combines all the key advantages we expect from an innovative CTP solution: highest resolution, precision, and repeatability, ensuring reliable, high quality results in prepress and on press,” he says.
The printer has signed up to Kodak’s Premier Support plan, which prioritises support calls to the business and means fewer disruptions, faster recovery and more predictable production, helped by having two identical machines.
Kodak’s head of EAMER sales and CMO Denisse Goldbarg says: “We are delighted that Micropress chose Kodak and our most powerful commercial print CTP platform to modernise its platemaking operations. The high productivity of the system and the use of Squarespot imaging technology will help Micropress reliably supply its presses with high quality plates and consistently meet the quality requirements of its discerning customers.”
