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Epson Stylus Pro 7900 CTP FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

System Questions

1. What is required for installation of the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 CTP System?

2. How long does it take to setup?

3. What tools do I need for setup?

4. What is the large plate accessory kit for and when would I need it?

5. What power is required for Printer?

6. What power is required for PCU?

7. Why does the PCU require 208/220 VAC power?

8. Does the 7900CTP punch a plate?

9. What are ongoing supplies needed for the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 System?

10. What maintenance is required?

11. What Ink is used to image the Epson DirectPlate- Aluminum?

12. Why Cyan ink?

13. What settings should I have the PCU (plate curing unit) set for?

14. How often do I need to register the plate guide?

15. Is this a chemical press process? Do I need to keep my old plate processor?

16. Does this system do 2 and 4 color work?

17. When I first start using this system, how much time should I expect to get up to speed on press?

18. Who do I call for support on this system?

19. Why are there 2 different sized PCU platens?

20. Why is there a reversing switch on the PCU?

21. What is the smell on initial start up of the PCU?

22. Why does the power light turn on and off during operation.?

RIP Questions

1. What type of computer do I need to install the RIP on?

2. What If I don’t like the EFI RIP? Are there other RIPs available?

3. Who do I call for support on the EFI RIP?

4. Where can I get training on the rip?

5. How do I print a alignment sheet?

6. How do I adjust for dot gain on press?

7. How do I put in my plate size, bend and gripper edge?

8. How do I print just one color or just one plate?

9. Can I adjust the printer for feed length and do I need to do this?

10. How does Licensing and the Hardware Dongle work?

11. Can I also make proofs?

12. How do I change between proofing and plates?

13. Do I need to use a RIP or can I use the standard printer driver to make plates?

14. Does the RIP Support trapping?

Version 3.0 2011 RH

Summary of content (18 pages)

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Epson Stylus Pro 7900 CTP FAQ Frequently Asked Questions Table of Contents System Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
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Epson DirectPlate Aluminum Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.
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System Questions 1. What is required for installation of the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 CTP System? You must have the following to install the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 CTP System: 1. A computer with the following minimum requirements: • IBM®-compatible PC with a Pentium® 1 GHz CPU or equivalent • 1GB of RAM • 80GB hard drive (20GB available space recommended) • Microsoft® Windows Vista® or Windows® XP- 32 bit or 64 bit • DVD drive Higher specifications are RECOMMENDED.
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9. What are ongoing supplies needed for the Epson Stylus Pro 7900CTP System? There are no unique chemicals or special items required to use this system on an ongoing basis. All that is required is Epson UltraChromeHDR Ink cartridges (depending on usage), Epson DirectPlate- Aluminum plates, and occasionally, the printer will require a maintenance tank. All of these items should be available from your Epson Computer to Plate Authorized Reseller. 10.
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19. Why are there two different sized PCU trays? Two different sized trays for the PCU are provided so they can be interchanged to accomodate different sized plates, and the customer’s environment. 20. Why is there a reversing switch on the PCU? A reverse switch is provided for in-line applications and to clear any jams that may occur. 21. What is the smell on initial start up of the PCU? The PCU unit may emit a slight odor on initial start up.
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RIP Questions 1.
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6. How do I adjust for dot gain on press? You can alter dot gain on press by adjusting the dot gain on the plate. This is done from within the EFI RIP software. We have provided a number of presets to make this process easier. From the EFI RIP, click on the color tab in the Property window and select the “gradation” tab (as shown below) Under the “preset drop down” there are five different options to adjust dot gain: - Epson DirectPlate Aluminium.vcc is the standard (default) environment.
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7. How do I put in my plate size, bend and gripper edge? Setting up the plate configuration should be done initially and saved as a preset. This will save time. From the EFI RIP, select the “Actions” tab and “Preferences”. On the “layout” tab you will see the ability to scale and rotate. Make sure that the “More options” Check box at the bottom of the preferences window is selected and you see the following: Under the Align Heading you see options for horizontal alignment and a Vertical Alignment.
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8. How do I print just one color or just one plate? When used to create plates, the EFI RIP, considers each detected color (spot color or process color) a separate page. Use the preview window to view the job to see the associated spot color to that page, as shown below. In the example above, Pantone 363c is Page 1. If you only wanted to print a single plate which is Pantone 363c, you would direct the RIP to print only Page 1.
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9. Can I adjust the printer for feed length and do I need to do this? Yes, The EFI RIP has an adjustment to compensate for feed length of the Printer because each printer may feed slightly differently. It is HIGHLY recommended that you adjust for this when you first install the printer and the RIP and it should not need to be adjusted again.
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10. How does Licensing and the Hardware Dongle work? Each Epson Stylus Pro 7900 CTP includes a License for the EFI Rip software. Required for this license is a hardware dongle and an EAC Code. Both are included in the package. Once you install the software and insert the Hardware dongle, you will be asked to enter the EAC code. Once this is done, that EAC code is attached to that dongle and cannot be changed.
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For example: if you want to create a Plate preset, you would save the Layout settings to include my Plate bend and gripper edge, assure that the correct LPI and Media set is selected, etc. Once you are sure you have all of the settings you want to use for this particular preset, click the “Save” button at the bottom of the Preferences dialog box. (see below). You are prompted to enter a name for this preset. Once completed you can exit the preferences window.
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. Do I need to use a RIP or can I use the standard printer driver to make plates? The RIP is required to produce plates because it controls the separations, screening, and ink density on the plates to ensure optimal quality. You can however, use the standard Epson Printer driver to print photographs, banners, or other print jobs. 14.
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Epson DirectPlate Aluminum Questions 1. How do these plates work? In conventional aluminum plates, the aluminum surface is the water-attracting layer. The water sits on top the aluminum, and therefore conventional aluminum plates require a relatively small amount of water to reach proper wetting for the printing process. Epson DirectPlate Aluminum plates have a unique structure. The top hydrophilic layer serves as the water accepting layer. This layer is relatively thick and water penetrable.
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3. Do I need to gum the plates? These plates do not require gumming. The DirectPlate coating seals and preserves the print surface 4. Are the plates anodized? Epson DirectPlate Aluminum is an anodized and specially coated press plate. 5. Are these plates light sensitive? No, these plates are NOT light sensitive 6. Do these plates have grain? No, they are considered smooth plates.
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15. What happens if a plate looks darker after if comes out of the PCU? If the PCU causes discoloration on the plate surface, it should not be visible on press and should not cause any artifacts on the final print. The cause of this could be that the PCU is set to run too slowly or the set temperature is too high. If this discoloration occurs, use the Thermax strips to test the calibration of the PCU. 16.
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Press Integration Questions 1. What fountain solution should I use? If you are using Polyester plates today, then it is likely that the fountain solution that you are using will be compatible with Epson DirectPlate-Aluminum technology. Here is a list of recommended Fountain Solutions: • RBP UniTrol 192 • Prisco Fount Concentrate 142-126 • Agfa G671c • Varn Universal Pink Note: If you choose to use another fountain solution, make sure it is alcohol-free. 2.
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5. What about a press wash? Here is a list of recommended Press Washes: • Varn EC Wash • Ultrachem Prima Wash • Varn News 75 Wash • printcom® wash 202B • Sun Chemicals SUN WASH U H8830A Note: The press wash process requires some harsh chemicals and if you plan to reuse a plate, you will need to REMOVE the plate prior to washing down a press 6. What type of Ink should I use? Standard Press inks are compatible with Epson DirectPlate Aluminum plates.