Prepress
EasyDot: First Install at Chapter Press
Friday 07. May 2010 - Centurfax and Ripware, the names behind the introduction of EasyDot, the hand-held and highly portable plate reader, have announced news of early sales, including an installation at award-winning printer Chapter Press.
Chapter Press, winners of the prestigious PrintWeek Brochure Printer of the Year award, has recently relocated its production facilities to Wellingborough following an initial six months in Milton Keynes. The company retains its Clerkenwell House, London, sales office.
Whilst EasyDot will certainly assist the company as it further examines the potential of the ISO12647-2 printing standard, its ability to provide assurance of plate quality goes much further than that for Chapter Press Managing Director, Gary Carpenter: “By using EasyDot on a regular basis we know that our plates are 100% correct. If we do have any issues when printing a job, we can safely rule out the plates as being the cause. That is important. In printing there are many variables. You need to find as many constants as possible, and plates are a critical one that a small investment in EasyDot can provide.”
The team behind the creation of Chapter Press are keen to focus on the latest technology to push the boundaries of sheetfed printing. This includes experimenting with the benefits of working to ISO12647-2, and working with modern screening technologies such as hybrid screen to best effect. One aim at Chapter Press is to be able to provide a 400 line screen as standard for all work on coated stock.
The company employ B2-format chemistry free platemaking and printing equipment from Heidelberg.
“Measuring is undoubtedly good practise,” said Gary Carpenter. “Taking measurements means that something is being monitored and compared with previous performance. That is certainly the case when measuring the image on a plate with EasyDot. Comparisons can then be made and remedial action taken if required.
“We continue to check our output on a regular basis, and also when adjusting elements within the plate creation process, such as changing the wash in the processor, or trying a new plate gum. Because we can quickly and easily measure the effects of any changes in the process with EasyDot we know that we are still able to produce consistent plates.” The company see a real benefit in being able to measure plates when carrying out development work: something that it is doing on a regular basis.
“We know that EasyDot has already paid for itself just from the simple fact that if we do have any issue with the printing of a job, we know straight away that our plates are perfect. That saves time and materials, as most printers reaction will be to re-make the plates “just in case”,” confirmed Gary Carpenter.
Hardware and software development of the new EasyDot plate-reader product have come from the Centurfax team, whilst Ripware is bringing its sales and marketing expertise to bear with regard to the distribution of the product. With regard to the Chapter Press sale, EasyDot was recommended by Paul Sherfield, of The Missing Horse Consultancy, the colour and ISO12647 standard printing conditions specialist working closely with the company.
EasyDot provides for the same simple one-click operation as previous Centurfax dotmeter equipment, without the need to connect to a PC or Mac. Initially the device has been released to read plates and film only, though it is envisaged that paper reading will soon be available as an option.
End-user pricing for EasyDot is £995. A special introductory price has been created for existing Centurfax CCDot users interested in trading back their older units for a new EasyDot of £795.