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Following a period of extensive market research, A1SP agreed an investment of £68k in January 2020 for the acquisition of the new Fujifilm Lo-Chem FLH-Z 85 Processor and Screen PlateRite 4600S Thermal Plate Recorder.

The installation of the new CTP system was originally scheduled for March 2020. However, due to site access restrictions imposed as a response to the COVID19 outbreak, A1SP took the decision to postpone the work.

So, with additional safety precautions in place, the installation took place last September.

A1SP’s Studio Manager, Tony Hodgkinson commented on the new investment:

“Since our Fuji Luxel T-6500 CTP upgrade in September we have seen in increase in studio plate making efficiencies. Remote access from our Mac operators stations have reduced file transfer times and footfall around the business. The number of print impressions from each plate has increased – which has reduced the number of plates being required per job and have reduced our chemical usage. There have been challenges since the installation which the studio and press departments have worked together to overcome, run lengths have been trialled, dot gain calibrations have been compensated for and plate baking times have been fine tuned. This in particular has shown an increase in print times per plate from approximately 250,000 impressions up to 450,000 impressions per plate. This has had a huge positive impact on press printing times, wastage and preparation. As the guys say they need to have 100% trust in their plates, and this delivers.”

Benefits of Fujifilm Lo-Chem FLH Series Processor

• Lower Chemistry Consumption – the FLH-Z processor range significantly reduces chemistry consumption through intelligent monitoring and replenishment

• Lower Maintenance – Maintaining perfect developer activity allows the developer bath life to be greatly extended beyond the norm for developing systems; typically achieving bath life figures that are four or more times greater than normal plate processing systems

• Cleaner Working Environment – The chemistry used for processing plates in a ‘ZAC’ system is a non-silicate-based recipe. This makes a much longer bath life possible without the increase in developer sludge and filter blockages

• Increased Stability – Due to the way the ‘ZAC’ processor intelligently controls the replenisher delivery, it is far more stable which makes it much easier to achieve high quality, regardless of changes to environmental conditions

With the current CTP system nearing end-of-life, A1SP’s studio needed a solution that would not only replicate but improve on the current system. Discussing the new investment in more detail, Tony Hodgkinson explained the reasons behind the decision, along with the additional benefits to the business:

 “There were many reasons behind the investment; since I took over the role of Studio Manager, I have always looked at improving efficiencies within the department. We started by replacing the existing workflow software – doing so improved our turnaround time for preparing proofs, pre-flighting files, as well as (and just as importantly) outputting files for press. The next big step for improvement was our plate making department.”

Screen PlateRite 4600 Series Thermal Plate Recorder

The addition of the Screen PlateRite 4600S Thermal Plate Recorder also enables production of higher-quality printing plates and delivers an impressively high throughput. Tony further commented:

“The PlateRite 4600 supports all of our plate sizes, has a throughput of 33 plates per hour and comes with an inline punch system. With the promise of sharper halftone dots which will significantly improve our print quality, remote access from studio workstations and an auto loader for more efficient processing. Also, the chance to remove the UV red safe lights in our plate making department was an opportunity not to miss!”

A1SP’s investment in the new CTP system is part of a much larger business expansion strategy, that will see further technological advancements and enhanced capabilities over the coming months.

To find out more, or to discuss how A1SP can help with all of your security printing requirements, call our friendly team on +44 (0) 121 554 0044 or leave us a message.