Rawson Graphics hits new speed and sustainability peaks with its latest prepress upgrades. Its switch to Fujifilm Brillia plates and a state-of-the-art Screen PlateRite CtP are set to triple the North Ryde-based printer’s platemaking speed and cut power consumption by more than 40%.
Rawson Graphics has picked up a Screen PlateRite HD 8900 D CtP setter, with MAL-8900 autoloader, and transfers over to Fujifilm’s Brillia HD LH-PLE postive-working plates. Cranking up production speeds, the new kit will image the Fujifilm plates at 2400 dpi, at 33 B1 or 44 B2 plates per hour. This powers up a production chain running two Komori presses, promising increased quality and a drop in chemistry use by as much as 75%.
Lachlan Finch, director, Rawson Graphics, said, “The new Fujifilm Lo-Chem system and Screen CtP will go a long way in helping meet our environmental goals while also increasing our efficiency. It is important that we satisfy our customers’ needs of speed to market, but also do it in a way that costs less and reduces our environmental impact.”
- Lachlan Finch, director Rawson Graphics
Rawon Graphics is currently under review for ISO 14001 Environmental Management Quality certification, which it says it should complete some time in 2014. Since its merge with Art Vue Printing in July, Rawson Graphics picked up a Komori Lithrone 640 with coater and a new H-UV LS529, also designed for low energy use and reduced emissions.
Finch maintains that the Fujifilm Brillia LH-PLE plates are better suited to the instant-drying inks used by the Komori H-UV, a key factor in making the shift.
“We will also save power as the Screen PTR 8900 uses 88% less power while idling and about 40% less power while operating than our previous model,” he said.
Sold on the green credentials, Finch intends to stick with the Fuji plates, aiming to go completely chemistry free when Fujifilm releases its fourth generation Pro T processless plates.
Peter Scott, Screen managing director, said, “In today’s shorter run, multi-colour printing environment, more pressure is put on Prepress departments and the new PlateRite HD 8900E is up to the task. Both Rawson and Fujifilm can be secure in the knowledge that in-field upgrades to the faster ‘S’ and ‘Z’ models are possible, at up to 67 B1 plates per hour if necessary.”
With over forty years in the industry, Rawson Graphics is one of only two companies in NSW to be members of the Mellow Colour '100 Club', accredited with ISO 12647-2 colour precision. The Rawson team recently bagged a gold award at the NSW PICAs for the Justus magazine, and a silver for their work on the Revlon Colourstay Presentation Book.