Kodak Trendsetter Q400
Saureen Shah, director of Viraj Prints was in need of a platesetter that could produce finer dots for its lenticular printing needs. This kit precisely did that for us, says Shah
18 Mar 2015 | 6314 Views | By PrintWeek India
Describe your company?
Viraj Prints was established in 1982 with a letterpress machine. With time, we moved to offset printing, predominantly catering to the advertising industry. Today we have evolved into a multi-faceted print firm which does posters, film publicity, specialised packaging and screen printing, digital and UV printing.
What does the machine do?
This platesetter, with HUV compatibility, images Kodak’s Sonora plates. Thanks to its thermal technology one can print fine dots with great clarity. Kodak’s Prinergy software is a plus for us as it enables us to produce dots as fine as 10 microns with relative ease.
Why did you choose this particular system?
We do lenticular jobs printing directly on lens, and were looking for a platesetter that would produce plates with finer dots. This system has helped us do precisely that.
Did you look at other similar systems?
We did look at other CTP systems including one from Fujifilm. But, we ended up zeroing-in on Kodak due to their service support and our excellent working relation with Insight Communications, which is one of Kodak’s representatives.
Why did you make the purchase?
The ease of printing very fine dots is the feature that compelled us to go for this machine. Before this installation we did not have in-house pre-press services. With this machine we have filled that gap; we can now offer our clients end-to-end print solutions.
What features do you particularly like?
The Dotshop feature of the Prinergy software is particularly good, which allows us to be flexible with the dots. It helps in providing an added security feature to our products.
How fast is it?
We haven’t really calculated the speed, because for the kind of work that we undertake it’s not that crucial. Quality is the most important parameter for us, as we do niche specialised jobs as opposed to bulk quantity jobs.
What’s the quality like?
The quality of the plates fired was the reason why we chose Kodak over the other CTP systems in the market. The quality is impeccable and with Prinergy, it also does a great job at securing ours and our client’s data.
How easy is it to use?
It is a user-friendly machine, we have found it very easy to use even though it is our first CTP system.
How much time or money has it saved?
It has saved a lot of machine-time for us. The advantage of having an in-house CTP system frees us from the dependency of outsourcing our pre-press operations.
Would you say that it offers value for money?
We installed the machine about two month ago and haven’t calculated the ROI of the machine so far. But there is no doubt it has enhanced our quality, which we are sure will result in increased revenue.
Were there any difficulties during the installation or after?
No. It was a learning curve for us, this being our first CTP system. The co-operation of the parties involved also went a long way in ensuring a smooth installation.
What about the pre- and after-sales service?
Insight Communications’ and Kodak’s representatives were in sync and the entire was close-looped.
Who do you think the system is right for?
We would recommend this machine to any commercial printer undertaking value addition jobs and quality short-run jobs.
Under what circumstances would you buy another?
We don’t think we will opt for another one in the foreseeable future. The machine is being under-used by us right now, and until and unless we use this CTP system to its capacity, we don’t see ourselves opting for a new machine.
User’s verdict
Speed: 4/5
Quality: 4/5
Reliability: 4/5
Reliability: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Supplier’s Response
Rajeev Gavaskar, regional sales manager - Maharashta, Gujarat, Karnataka & Goa at Kodak India, says, “Variability on the same job, UV jobs and high-quality 3D lenticular jobs are a regular feature at Viraj Prints, and addressing this need was key. With the Kodak Trendsetter Q400 along with Kodak Prinergy Connect and Kodak Sonora XP Process Free plates, Viraj Prints opted for a complete Kodak solution to grow their business. Now, Viraj Prints delivers first-generation dot on Sonora XP Plates and can cater to a wider set of customers as well. With imaging quality delivered by Kodak TSQ400 and the environmental benefits of Sonora, Viraj Prints has also started catering to jobs from international firms who firmly believe in sustainability when it comes to print.”
Contact
Rajeev Gavaskar
Rajeev Gavaskar
Kodak India
+91 9223220442
rajeev.gavaskar@kodak.com