Photoplotter FilmStar-PLUS
Instructions to Use
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take the flexible hose from the holder, close the opening by your thumb, put the end over the container
where you want to drain the liquid in and release the thumb. Wash all tanks with water and make sure
there are no residues sitting on the walls. If necessary rub the walls with paper towel. From 2013 on the
cuvettes will be delivered with cock valves instead of hoses.
The procedure to develop a film exposed on Filmstar-PLUS takes not more than a minute. If you do not
like to touch the liquid by hand (wear thin Latex gloves) you should use a film clamp.
Especially big sheets of film tend to stick to the tank wall. To avoid this, try to handle the sheet so that it
goes in the tank in an S-shape. This little disadvantage in handling is minor compared to the advantage
that there will be no air bubbles at all under the film surface, as known from horizontal development
trays. Moreover, the tank offers only a small liquid surface to the air, so that the destructive oxidization
of the developer will be delayed. In addition the annoying process of decanting the liquids from and
back into the storage containers can be omitted.
After exposure a short rinse is sufficient. In the fixer the film will mostly be clear after 30 seconds. It is
good practice and gives better long term stability, though, to keep it in the fixer for double time. Rinsing
after fixing is highly important. Finally, to dry the film, put it to the Dark Room wall and wipe the first
side with a smooth fuzzle-free paper tissue. Remove the film, dry the wall, reverse the film and wipe the
second side. Repeat the procedure with a fresh tissue. You may also profit from a hot air dryer. A well
dried film looks fully transparent. Rests of opaque, bluish color indicate insufficient drying. The ambient
humidity and the drying grade of the film will highly affect the film precision!
As mentioned, the developer will oxidize when in contact with air. It will take a brown color and cannot
blacken the film sufficiently any more.
Test:
Expose a piece of film for 2 seconds to normal daylight. After max. 1 minute of development at
ambient temperature the film must be entirely black opaque. If this is not the case the developer must
be exchanged. If you use the tank lid and take care not to pollute the developer it will have a life time of
approx. 6 months. For frequent use the developer may be replenished with concentrate that you add in
portions. The life time of the fixer mostly depends on the throughput. The time needed to clear the film
will be longer with increasing use.
Attention
: The fixer contains silver and must be recycled! Safety data sheets for the developer and
fixer concentrates are available. These are actually no dangerous goods for road transportation.
Software
Overview:
The CD contains the file
SetupFilmstar.exe
. Please double click on this file and run the software install-
ation. The Filmstar-PLUS software will be installed in the directory C:\program files\Filmstar. In the
Filmstar folder you will find plotter software
Run-Filmstar.exe
and these additional folders:
Convert Bitmap to FPF:
BMP2Fpf.exe and BMP_Gray2Fpf.exe. With these programs you can convert
high resolution Bitmaps into the plotter format FPF. For BMP2Fpf.exe you need monochrome files,
BMP_Gray2Fpf.exe also processes gray-scale pictures.
Convert Gerber to FPF:
Contains the program Gerber2Bitmap.exe. With the help of this program you
can convert your vector based Gerber data into raster based Bitmap-files.
Drivers:
contains the drivers for the plotter when running the plotter directly from the PC. Please install
the file CDMxxxxx_Setup.exe (current version:CDM20824_Setup.exe) in this case. If you are going to
transfer the data via USB-stick, you do not need to install any driver.
Inspect FPF:
Contains the program „View_FPF.exe“. This program inspects your created FPF-files.
Machine parameters - import to Run_photo_USB2.exe:
This folder contains the PHS-file with the
machine configuration. Please import this file into the program „Run_photo_USB2.exe“.
Manual:
Contains this manual.
Samples:
Contains sample data for your first steps.
Bungard Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG, Rilkestraße 1, 51570 Windeck – Germany
Tel.: +49 2292 / 9 28 28-0, Fax: +49 2292 / 9 28 28-29
, E-mail: [email protected]
