anCIllarY ParTS and SuPPlIeS
Your equipment installer will be carrying a CCD dot meter to
calibrate the system during installation. However, we strongly
recommend that you have a CCD dot meter on hand if you
ever need to recalibrate the system. Xanté sells a dot meter,
but meters by other leading manufacturers should work as well.
Note the difference between a densitometer (including “plate
densitometers”) and a dot meter. Densitometers measure dot
area by shining a light on a region of the media and measuring
how much light is reflected. Dot area meters use a CCD array
(as is found in digital cameras) attached to microscope optics to
measure the size of halftone spots. While both types of devices
can be very accurate, CCD dot meters provide better results in
practice because calibration of the meter is much more simple.
Please have a box of appropriate plate material for each size of
press for which you’re planning to produce plates. If you’re using
Xanté plate material, the following sizes are stocked as standard
items, and other sizes can be special-ordered:
Harmony 8 mil Violet Metal Plates
•
10" x 15" (254 x 381 mm )
•
11" x 18" (279 x 457 mm)
•
11.25" x 18.5" (286 x 470 mm)
•
12.0625" x 17.375" (306 x 441 mm)
•
13" x 19.15625" (330 x 487 mm)
•
13" x 19.375" (330 x 492 mm)
•
13.1875" x 19.09375" (335 x 485 mm)
•
13.375" x 19.875" (340 x 505 mm)
•
15.75" x 18.5" (400 x 470 mm)
•
15.75" x 20.0625" (400 x 510 mm)
•
15.75" x 20.125" (400 x 511 mm)
•
16" x 17.5" (406 x 445 mm)
•
18.0625" x 20.687" (459 x 525 mm)
•
19.6875" x 23" (500 x 584 mm)
•
19.875" x 22.75" (505 x 578 mm)
•
20.75" x 25.625" (527 x 676 mm)
•
21.6875" x 26.375" (550 x 670 mm)
•
22.5" x 28.5" (571.5 x 724 mm)
•
24.25" x 28.5" (616 x 724 mm)
Be sure to have the appropriate chemistry on hand for the plate
material you have selected:
•
Harmony Violet CTP Developer: Please have 5.2 gallons
(20 liters) of the developer on hand.
•
Harmony Violet CTP Replenisher: Most plate materials
require a replenisher, which maintains the pH of the developer
chemistry. If needed, please have 5.2 gallons (20 liters) on hand.
•
Harmony Violet CTP Gum: Please have 2.6 gallons/10 liters
of gum concentrate.
The best tool for monitoring plate processor chemistry is a
pH meter, which is shipped with the P24 processor. It is also
important to maintain proper temperature. To measure both, we
recommend the Hanna Instruments pHep4 (HI 98127), along
with the 7/10pH calibration kit (HI 770710P) to maintain calibra-
tion. For more information, visit the Hanna Instruments website at
http://www.hannainst.com/products/prodline/tester.cfm.
They can be ordered from Professional Equipment at
http://www.professionalequipment.com.
To calibrate the temperature of the processor, we recommend
non-reversible temperature labels. These labels can be attached
to plates (5 per plate), and will show the highest temperature
which the plate reached, even after it has cooled down. Your
installer will have enough for the installation, but they may come
in handy later on for diagnostic purposes. They can be ordered
from xante.com, omega.com and t-m-c.com. We recommend
labels with a temperature range of 190-280 degrees Fahrenheit
(90-135 degrees C), with 10 degree F resolution.
If any of the presses require plates to be punched, then you
should have the appropriate punches on hand. Xanté sells plate
punches for certain presses, and they are also typically avail-
able from the press manufacturer and third parties. The VM CTP
system registers the image to the gripper edge and right edge
of the plate. For best registration on press, the punch should
also register to those edges. Centering punches can typically be
modified to work that way, and your installer can assist you with
making that change to your punch, if needed.
For evaluating dot size, quality, and exposure level, we recom-
mend a 30x magnifier or loupe. A plate exposure scale will also
be necessary to set laser power — consult the plate manufac-
turer for the appropriate one for the material. Xanté plate material
requires a Stouffer 21 step wedge (step 3 solid, step 5 ghost) or
a UGRA wedge (step 2 solid, 4 ghost).
SYSTem delIverY
The components of your CTP system will arrive from several dif-
ferent locations, typically over the course of a few days. The VM
CTP system and the VM CTP system stand are typically shipped
by truck freight from Xanté in Hauppage, NY. The PlateRunner
P24 processor with stand (3 crates total) is shipped by truck
freight from Xanté in Mobile, AL. The RIP computer and scanner
(if applicable) will ship from Xanté in Citrus Heights, CA. Other
components ship from various locations. All components should
be in place prior to the arrival of the installation crew, and Xanté
tracks all shipments to ensure that they will arrive on time.
All crates should be moved to the area where the equipment
will be installed. The following crates may require special con-
sideration with respect to doorway dimensions and movement.
Please ensure that there is a way to get each of these crates
from the truck to the installation area:
height
depth
width
weight
VM CTP System
33" (84cm) 28" (71cm) 52" (132cm) 334 lbs. (151kg)
VM CTP System Stand 31" (79cm) 38" (97cm) 53” (135cm) 285 lbs. (129kg)
P24 Processor
39” (100cm) 32” (82cm) 63” (160cm) 450lbs (204kg)
CTP Site Preparation Guide
page 3
