COMPUTER-to-PLATE | Highwater Python

Making CtP work for you

The Python has been developed in response to feed-back from the market. In the past year customer needs have changed. Line-screens are up and run lengths have shrunk, which means more plate changes. As a result there is a need for higher speed and quality and the Python delivers this.

Python, designed for the 2-up and 4-up market is a manual load and unload CtP device. The plate is mounted on a flat table, correctly positioned in the 3-pin touch sensitive register system. The plate is clamped automatically and transferred to the high precision, internal drum. Here it is exposed using Python's advanced optical laser system.

The plate is retained in the clamp in perfect register while it is imaged at a resolution of 2540 dpi, at 6 mm per second. A B2 plate takes two minutes to image.

The Python system includes a high-spec workstation running a Torrent Level 3 RIP, with a full complement of software applications that enables you to rapidly process and output your jobs to the Python.

The benefits of using Python in your workflow are compelling. Its quality and speed of output let you produce plates to meet the ever increasing demands of today's print shop. Python's modular design and remote diagnostics ensure an extremely high level of reliability, with minimum downtime, to put you ahead of your competition, and to help meet your customers' high expectations.

Barcode Plate Requeue

Barcdoe Plate Requeue software in an additional package that can be purchased to run alongside Q2.

It is a plate identification mark system for adding a unique identifying number to each separation of a job, and outputting the number in the form of a barcode onto film/plate.

It ensures jobs can be easily retrieved and re-queued to an input queue. This allows for film/plate remake, so if the plate fails for some reason such as creasing when mounting on press, bad punch registration or not holding ink due to poor processing, it can be quickly re-made.

Features and Benefits

Quality Python's imaging quality is superb. Its precise optical system is capable of imaging with a screening resolution over 200 lpi giving excellent results on plate.
Speed Python's high speed spinner is designed for fast imaging. Combined with easy plate handling Python can output up to 25 plates per hour, including plate loading/unloading time.
Reliability and Accuracy Python uses a high precision internal drum and violet laser technology - a combination proven to give the most reliable and consistently accurate imaging on metal plate.
Affordable Performance Python's low cost of ownership and competitive return on investment lets you benefit from one of the most affordable CtP systems on the market.
Ease of Use Python's design philosophy makes platemaking easy -it's so simple that virtually anyone can use the system to produce plates quickly and reliably.
Versatility Python images plates varying in size from 745 x 615 mm down to 335 x 400 mm, giving you a wide range of job sizes and formats. For maximum flexibility in the press-room, the plates are punched after imaging, using the specific press punch.
Flexibility Python is capable of imaging all silver and photopolymer violet plates currently on the market, to give you a wide range of plate options now and into the future.

Specification

Laser type Violet laser diode, 405 nm, 60 mW
Drum 200 mm radius, 180 degree Aluminium Alloy with hard anodised finish
Max plate B2 – 745 x 615 mm, 0.3 mm thick
Min plate 340 x 400 mm, 0.15 mm thick
Grip edge 15 mm minimum at front edge of plate
Image area 745 x 600 mm maximum
Spot size 10 microns
Resolution 2540 dpi
Repeatability +/- 5 microns image to image; +/- 25 microns plate to plate
Imaging speed 6 mm per second, using 36,000 rpm single-facet spinner
Throughput Up to 20 plates per hour B2/4-up; up to 25 plates per hour B3/2-up
Plate handling Manual load and unload or Manual load and semi-automatic unload model
Plate types Violet sensitive aluminium plates
Either Silver or Photopolymer
Yellow safe light required for plate handling
Registration 3-pin touch sensitive registration with automatic clamp
Punching Punch after imaging, for specific press
File formats Accepts 1-bit TIFF bitmap files, compressed formats CCITT
Group 4, LZW and PackBits, PDF
Application level includes all engine control and plate management software
Connection to PC via PCI bus interface, with Windows 2000 driver

Approvals CE certification: EN61000 for EMC include FCC part 15, EN60950 LVD
Dimensions 1410 x 1225 x 940 mm (w x h x d)
Weight 300 kg (engine and front-end PC), 410 kg (in single packing crate)
Operating Environment +15C to +25C, 20% to 80% relative humidity (non-condensing)

Platform Pentium 4 PC with Windows
RIP Torrent (Harlequin) L3 PostScript RIP
Applications Q2 Output Controller, Plate Management Software
Diagnostics Remote diagnostics as standard
Job Archival Writeable CD ROM