RKA, are you a printer or an investor? Presstek has been providing printers plate material and as far as I know, should soon be close to announcing full commercial production of PEARLgold. Obviously, they are currently manufacturing good material from the new vacuum plate assembly line. I believe printers that want to try the processless material are able to access it upon request. I guess one has to wonder what the delay for full availability is. Meanwhile, nearly every manufacturer is releasing thermal platesetters. CREO has over 500 thermal units installed, according to CREO's spokesman on the printers forum which could immediatly use thermal plates on their imager, similiar to the CREO trendsetter now using the plate at IPEX. The trendsetter has been equipped for PEARLgold with a special airhandler which will allow for the thermal ablation process.
My suggestion to Presstek is to contact CREO/Heidelberg, and receive a list of all end-users of thermal platesetters. If printers are using thermal now, they are required to pre or post bake their thermal plates, at the cost of $50,000 in equipment for oven, temp. controls, etc. As the existing primary plate in use, is most likely Kodak, and based on Heidelberg wishing non-propietary choice in plates, hopefully Presstek can obtain the listing, contact the users and build a base for the eventual full availability of the PEARLgold processless plates. It is estimated their are over 1000 existing thermal platesetters that could use a processless plates when their imager is equipped with a airhandler. They use MORE plate material than a QMDI!
Neil |
