Xante PlateRunner P24 Supplementary Manual

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CTP Site Preparation Guide

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OpenRIP Symphony

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VM CTP System

• 

PlateRunner P24 Processor

InTroduCTIon

Installation of your Xanté CTP system involves a certain degree 

of planning and site preparation. This guide will help you prepare 

for the arrival of your system, so that the installation goes as 

smoothly as possible. Many of the preparation tasks listed in 

these pages are mandatory — you will not have a functioning 

system at the end of the installation period if the preparation 

tasks have not been completed. In that case, it will be necessary 

to schedule additional time to finish the installation, and that 

additional time will be billed.

SITe PreParaTIon

The Xanté VM CTP system should be installed in a low traffic 

area which is free from excessive dust and other contaminants. 

The ambient temperature range should be between 65 and 78 

degrees Fahrenheit (18 – 26 degrees Celsius) while the equip-

ment is in operation. For the plate material you plan to use, note 

the acceptable range for developer temperature. If the ambient 

temperature where you are installing the equipment sometimes 

goes higher than the maximum developer temperature, it may 

be necessary to install a chiller on the processor. Both can be 

retrofitted in the field if necessary, but it is much easier to ship the 

processor with one installed. The chiller uses refrigerative cooling 

and does not require a water supply.

Humidity should be maintained between 45% and 65% 

non-condensing at all times. Failure to maintain sufficient 

humidity can cause static electricity buildup which can 

damage the equipment. The imaging laser is especially sensitive 

to static electricity. Humidity in excess of 60% to 65% may cause 

problems with photopolymer plate material. If any other plate or 

film processors are located nearby, ensure that they are properly 

vented. Buildup of fumes in the vicinity of the VM CTP System 

can cause premature degradation of the optics.

The drive system which transports the optics in the VM CTP 

System is sensitive to vibration. Vibration which occurs while

imaging is underway may cause imaging anomalies. The best 

location for installing the system is on a cement floor, away from 

heavy machinery which can vibrate the floor. If the system will 

be installed on a raised floor, wooden floor, or upper floor in a 

building, then it should be located some distance away from 

walkways and other sources of vibration. The system should not 

be installed in a carpeted area, as carpets can produce a static 

charge that may damage the system.

Yellow SafelIGhT, Yellow room

All violet-sensitive plate materials on the market at this time 

require special lighting conditions in order to avoid fogging 

(undesired exposure). It is necessary to control all the sources 

of light in the area around the platesetter and processor while 

plates are being handled, both ambient light and direct light. 

Ambient light can be controlled by using a dedicated room, such 

as a darkroom, or by using curtains to create a “yellow room.” If 

you don’t presently have a darkroom, the latter choice is much 

less expensive. To order a yellow room kit, contact Dor-A-Mar at  

(631) 738-0457, and ask for one of the following Xanté yellow 

room kits (pricing subject to change). Kits are available to create 

6' x 9' (1.8  x 2.7 m) and 8' x 9' (2.4 x 2.7 m) rooms. The 6' x 9' 

rooms contain a cutout in the curtain wall for the processor to 

exit the room, while the 8' x 9' rooms do not. All kits include cur-

tains which are 9' tall, ceiling tracks, valences, pressure-sensitive 

Velcro, and a 2' x 2' (60 x 60 cm) yellow window. Please ensure 

that the 9’ height is appropriate for your room, and discuss it 

with Dor-A-Mar if it is not. Allow 5 weeks for delivery.

“L” shaped (placement in a corner) 

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6', 9' 

$735   

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8', 9' 

$765

“U” shaped (placement along a wall) 

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6', 9', 6' 

$965   

• 

8', 9', 9' 

$1075

“U” shaped (placement along a wall) 

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9', 6', 9' 

$1095 

• 

9', 8', 9' 

$1120

Rectangular (placement mid-room) 

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6', 9', 6', 9' 

$1350  

• 

9’, 8’, 9’, 8’ 

$1465

Many regions have safety and building codes which are appli-

cable to dark rooms, possibly including the “yellow rooms” which 

can be built with the kits listed above. It is your responsibility 

to understand and comply with those regulations.

To control direct light, it is necessary to filter all sources of light 

including lighting fixtures, windows and computer monitors. 

Materials for filtering light sources are available from EncapSulite 

International at (877) 227-8756, or (281) 239-0225, or 

encapsulite.com. EncapSulite does not sell products to end 

users, but Xanté is a dealer for EncapSulite. You can contact 

Xanté at (251) 473-6502.

Different plate material types require different filters — please 

check the specifications for your plate material to see which type 

of light filter you need to order. Xanté plate material requires an 

A10ND.3 safelight, which provides a spectral limit of 580nm. All 

yellow safelight treatments must be in place prior to installation 

of your CTP system.

eleCTrICal requIremenTS

Your CTP system will require two electrical circuits — one for 

the platesetter and computer and another for the processor. 

Both of these circuits should be used exclusively for the CTP 

equipment, and ideally, they should be a dedicated run from your 

main breaker panel. This is expecially important if the circuits 

would otherwise be on a subpanel with printing equipment which 

creates line noise such as presses and large bindery equipment.