LPC Printing
A busy four-colour printer has improved prepress productivity, reduced its environmental impact and implemented more effi cient working practices, thanks to the adoption of Fuji Brillia HD PRO-T processless plates.
The Problem
LPC had recently installed a new platesetter and being eco-conscious, was keen to move to processless platemaking in order to completely get rid of chemistry and processor waste as well as to speed up production.
The Solution
Nick Lee, managing director, LPC Printing, says: "Prior to installing the new platesetter, we were only able to output 16 plates per hour. We wanted to speed this up without reducing quality. Out of all the products we trialled, Fuji's Brillia HD PRO-T was the only product that ticked all the boxes.
"The environmental issue was paramount, but there were other important benefits with the Fuji plate. The latent image was clearer and the plate was pristine every time. Also a key issue was productivity. The Fuji plate was the only processless product that didn't impinge on this, ensuring that the platesetter's maximum output was not reduced. We are now outputting a full 30 plates an hour."
Additionally, by moving to PRO-T, the company has been able to integrate the platesetter into its design studio, freeing up space in the pressroom, which has now been converted into a binding and finishing area.
The changeover took less than a week. Jason Tilbury, technical director at LPC Printing, comments: "We wanted the switch to be as seamless as possible. Fuji was here to assist with plate calibration and to provide training for the press minders, allowing us to make an immediate switch with zero downtime."
LPC Printing uses in excess of 3000 plates a month and prints at 200 line screen. The average print run is 5000 impressions but this varies tremendously up to a quarter of a million. The longest print run so far achieved with PRO-T is 63,000 impressions on one set of plates and there were no issues with this.
LPC has a JDF workflow and since introducing PRO-T has been able to implement a new method of producing plates. Jason Tilbury comments: "By integrating the platesetter into the studio area, we are able to hard proof, check and send plates far more efficiently. Press minders can also queue new plates from the press control screen and no longer need to interrupt studio staff."
LPC is currently working towards environmental accreditation. Nick Lee explains: "LPC takes the effects of its business on the environment very seriously. With the advent of technologies like Fuji's Brillia HD PRO-T, we are well on the way to eliminating all chemical processing from plate production. "Overall the move to processless has been seamless and we have only received benefits from our new way of working. The Fuji plate has been integral to this, enabling us to reach our environmental goals without impacting our productivity. In fact, it has opened up a new and improved way of working for us," Lee concludes.
Based in Hampshire, LPC Printing is one of the South's leading corporate printers. It produces four-colour work for various multinationals via print agencies as well as for direct customers that include Norwich Union and Beaulieu Motor Museum.
