CTP Polyester
I’ve been on the search for a method of producing plates of my digital designs that are suitable for printing on a Heidelberg 10x15. I had a previous thread about imagesetters but I thought it would be easier starting afresh with this one.
While looking at various film imagesetters etc I got hold of a guy who has a CTP System for sale at a price which is within my capabilities, however my knowledge of these machines is sketchy and finding out information on the net about them is more difficult than i anticipated.
I believe it is a DPX 460 machine, purchased new in 2002 which prints on to polyester plates.
In concept it sounds ideal, being as it eliminates time and labour of developing and processing film etc, and that 4 colour plates with perfect registration could be produced from a single PDF document (which the software splits automatically). Rolls of polyester cost circa £125 and i am told gives me around 200 plates.
I was assured that it is capable of producing plates suitable for thick embossing etc also.
Has anyone got any knowledge and experience of these machines or similar and can advise me on their suitability?
Many thanks
It’s your money, your Investment. Why don’t you research it before you ponder the purchase?
Polyester plates have been around in offset and being used in Lithography by Artists. Find a Service Bureau or Printer who can make a Polysterplate and put it on the Press and see what happens. Easiest way to find out if it works or not.
Last Time I checked, you needed some sort of a relief to print on a windmill.
Don’t confuse polyester offset plates, which are for lithographic presses, with photopolymer relief plates for letterpress. There is no relation. And if the seller assures you these offset plates are suitable for deep embossing, he just isn’t to be believed at anything he says.
iirc the DPX machine makes an plate for offset. There is no depth to it. It will not work for letterpress. You’d have to research more, but it MAY be able to make film from the machine as well. Lot’s of imagesetters could do both.