Stellar Print has revamped its prepress department with a Fujifilm supplied new B2 thermal platesetter and XMF workflow. The thermal plates are Fujifilm Superia ZP processless. The CtP device is a Screen PlateRite PT-R4600E and is the first one to be installed in Australia, having been released only this year. It is feeding Stellar’s B2 and B3 presses and will make plates for a new press being commissioned in May.
The new CtP, with a maximum plate size of 830mm x 660mm is capable of 11 B2 plates per hour at 2400dpi and features new LED fibre lasers that use less power but deliver brighter, sharper dots. There are two faster model variations at 21 and 33 plates per hour respectively. Overall energy saving can be up to 83% over the previous model when in idle mode. Since the plates are processless, no development machine is required. The ZP plates are mounted straight onto the press and wash-out using fount solution in just a few sheets.
Stellar is a general commercial printer in Burleigh Heads on Queensland’s Gold Coast with five staff and has both offset and digital capabilities. The new CtP replaces a four-year old model that had become outmoded and was not capable of making thermal metal plates.
Jeff Roberts says: “We felt we needed to improve our quality, reliability and efficiency to compete on the open market effectively. With this in mind we knew we had to go with thermal CtP and a processless plate option. We reviewed all current offerings with the major suppliers and, after some due diligence, we decided to accept Fujifilm’s proposal from our account manager Stephen Dennis.
“I was a little apprehensive when told it was the first machine of this model in Australia as I have been down this path in the past. The very tight delivery commitments were met. I found to my delight the back-up service from Fujifilm was all they said it would be and the service engineers, John and Peter, were great.”
The prepress package includes the latest version of Fujifilm’s acclaimed XMF automated workflow, which has impressed Jeff Roberts and his team greatly. “We are really happy with the XMF workflow and its ease of use, the quality of the image we get from the combination of the PlateRite 4600 and the Superia ZP plates is outstanding. I would recommend this Fujifilm package and the PlateRite 4600 to any prospective buyer.”