We can answer your questions about imagesetters, prepress, film systems and any aspect of your screenprint, flexo or litho process. With over 22 years experience in the prepress industry to call on we can help - 8am-10pm everyday.
If you can't find the answer here, please call 01793 686380
'Which printers work best with your films?'
'Why do I need a RIP?'
'What is the maximum lpi of the system?'
'What are the running costs of the system?'
'How does it work?'
'Are the printers modified in any way?'
'How will the system fit into my workflow?'
'What file types will the RIP handle?'
'Can the RIP run on a Mac?'
'What maintenance is required?'
'Why are they so cheap?'
'Do you do extended warranties?'
'Which printers work best with your films?'
Generally Epson dye and ultrachrome printers are very effective, including the 3000/7000/9000 and the 4000/7600/9600. The ultrachrome K3 less so. The x800 and x880 series need an additional module on the RIP and have lower resolution. Mimaki & Mutoh use Epson heads and can be effective. Roland pigment ink is good. Some of the newer Canons are good but the older models can't see the film. Newer HPs such as the Z3100 are OK but the older HPs can't see the film and the ink is poor. Having said that, the requirements for screen printing are fairly low – laser film is very marginal but can produce a screen.
There are many A4 and A3 printers that are suitable for low quantity production of simple positives.
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'Why do I need a RIP?'
If you print halftones, trapping & bleed, negative films or nest film, then a RIP will make your life easier. Although most of the basic functions of a RIP can be achieved through Photoshop effects or artwork manipulation, the Wasatch RIP will do the job in a tenth of the time and it will look twice as good. Nevertheless, printers produce good, simple positives using the Windows drivers.
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'What is the maximum lpi of the system?'
The desktop system can produce good films at 110lpi. Above that it is normal to see some patterns in halftones at some, but not necessarily all, tones. If you are printing very small images, golf balls/promotional goods etc. these patterns are not evident in the finished articles and 130lpi+ can be used.
As the printers get larger, the highest lpi gets lower - it's easier to make 43cm rolls accurately than 157cm, plus larger printers will have more inertia in the system. Large format printers are good to about 70lpi, small format to about 85lpi. If you slow the printers down higher lpis can be acheived.
Four colour sets require four good plates and are therefore lower lpis.
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'What are the running costs of the system?'
For an average screen job of 10% coverage, the cost per square metre can be under £7. No extras, no chemicals, no problem. Sheet and smaller rolls can be more expensive.
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'How does it work?'
Clear film-black ink, simplicity itself.
Epson ink is designed to last 75 years under glass, to do this they add u.v. block to the inks. Hence they work as masks for positives.
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'Are the printers modified in any way?'
They are calibrated for optimum performance, but use standard Epson ink.
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'How will the system fit into my workflow?'
Everyone has a different way of working and we'll accommodate your systems. We'll also advise you when we think you could do things differently or better.
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What programmes can I print from?
Absolutely any - from notepad to Illustrator, Corel, Quark etc.
We install a virtual printer on your network and you can print separations as easily as printing a memo. Any programme with a print option can produce a postscript file for your RIP.
'What file types will the RIP handle?'
ps, prn, eps, pdf, tif, jpg, jpeg, bmp, psd, png, tgs, gif, pxd, sid, pcx, ppm & csf. Most programmes will export to eps or you can print via the Wasatch Postscript printer from any programme from notepad to Quark.
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'Can the RIP run on a Mac?'
No, the Mac prints over a network to the RIP on a PC and it is then printed from the RIP. There are distinct advantages to removing the printing from your workstation, resources are freed.
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'What maintenance is required?'
The printers run a cleaning cycle when switched on to keep themselves functional, there is a disposable maintenance tank that is easily replaced and, depending on usage, a '30,000 mile'/18 month service to replace the capping stations and pipes. In general the printers are very low maintenance, certainly compared to traditional imagesetters. Because of the cleaning cycle, coloured cartridges will be emptied even though only black is used for the film positives!
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'Why are they so cheap?'
In a word - VOLUME - more people buy printers than imagesetters and we keep our costs to a minimum allowing us to pass our savings to the end-user.
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'Do you do extended warranties?'
Yes, these are available, but we don't push them. Printers are essentially very reliable these days, it's debateable whether they are good value.
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