Refurbished Computer to Plate Equipment is an Appealing Option

Refurbished CtP Equipment BannerRefurbished computer to plate equipment is an appealing option for many printers because it costs a lot less than new equipment and usually includes all the same functionality.

There are several factors printers should consider when buying refurbished computer to plate equipment based on their needs and the seller’s refurbishing process.

What Does Refurbished Mean?
It is important to understand what refurbished CtP equipment is. Refurbished CtP equipment should function as well as new equipment. The refurbishment process is intended to return a product to manufacturer’s standards, which includes: complete inspection, replacement of worn parts, recalibration, cosmetic maintenance, and confirmation that the equipment is in excellent working condition.

How Much Do I Want to Spend on This Device?
Determine your budget. If your company is looking for quality without the cost, refurbished equipment can be 30 to 70 percent less expensive than new devices.

What Do I Like?
You also must assess which equipment you are currently using. Consider which features you like on your present device and what technological innovations have been made since your equipment was manufactured. If the newest technology is similar to your current model, refurbished may be the best option so you can eliminate the learning curve on purchasing new equipment. You can replace non-working CtP equipment you currently use with the same unit that has been refurbished and is fully-functional.

What Warranty is Offered?
New CtP systems come with the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) warranty, which covers software and hardware defects under normal condition of use. Many refurbished devices come with warranties, but these may be limited in time or coverage. Check to make sure the device is covered.

What are the Levels of Refurbishment?
Used CtP equipment can be reconditioned to different stages of refurbishment depending upon the needs of the customer:

  • Cosmetic Refurbished CtP Equipment is often nothing more than a used pieces of equipment that has been cleaned and tested to be in correct working order and nothing more has been done
  • Parts Refurbished CtP Equipment occurs when parts within the machine do not pass inspection for manufacturer’s specifications and need to be replaced. Those parts can either be from the OEM or removed from another used CtP system.
  • Fully Refurbished CtP Equipment is used CtP equipment that has been fully refurbished and restored to its original, like-new condition. In some cases, a refurbished unit may even receive enhancements that make it superior to the original unit. Full refurbishment usually requires both cosmetic improvements and major parts replacement.

Does It Still Have Support? 
We covered this in detail in part one, but just to reiterate it’s usually best to purchase Refurbished CtP equipment from someone who has the support of the OEM (see Part One)

What Else Am I Looking For?
Finally, prioritize your requirements for the device you are purchasing. Factor in how long you need the device to last. How frequently do you purchase equipment? You also want to be sure the company you are working with has a reputable refurbishing process. Are the service engineers certified and trained by the OEM? How long has the company been refurbishing CtP equipment? Do they refurbish in house or outsource?

By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to find the most appropriate refurbished system and save money for your company.

In part three we will detail DEI Systems refurbishing procedure for ECRM Mako CtP platesetters.

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Part 1 of the Refurbished CtP Series – Not All Refurbished CtP Systems are Created Equal

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Customers who have purchased refurbished equipment from DEI Systems
How we’re different

Not All Refurbished CtP Systems are Created Equal

Refurbished CtP Equipment Banner

There are some things you should be aware of when considering purchasing refurbished CtP Systems.

Unfortunately, there is no official definition of the term ‘refurbished’, which means you have to do your due diligence. Indeed, expect to see variations on the term if you shop around. ‘Refurbished’, ‘remanufactured’, ‘reconditioned’… we’ve seen them all.

The first thing you should focus on is the actual company that is “refurbishing” your CtP system. Do they “refurbish” numerous platesetters from several different platesetter manufacturers? If they do, that may not necessarily be a positive, as we’ve all heard the term “jack of all trades, but master of none.”

When it comes to platesetters you are better off with a company that focuses on just one or two manufacturers, chances are they’ll have more expertise than a company that offers several different platesetters from several manufacturers.

Secondly, is the company “refurbishing” the platesetter endorsed by the manufacturer, it’s always best if the company doing the refurbishing actually has the support of the original manufacturer, that way they have someone they can go to should they run into an unusual problem with the equipment. This also gives them access to new parts should they need to replace something in the platesetter they are refurbishing.

The best way to find this out is to just ask the company, “do you have the support of the manufacturer and do you have access to new parts.” You can also ask them if they sell new equipment from that particular manufacturer. If they can’t sell you new equipment, chances are they don’t have the support of the manufacturer.

In our next article we’ll discuss the actual refurbishing of the equipment and what you should look for.

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Part 2 of the Refurbished CtP Series – Refurbished Computer to Plate Equipment is an Appealing Option

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Customers who have purchased refurbished equipment from DEI Systems
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Announcement – Glunz and Jensen PlateWriter 2450SE

The Glunz and Jensen PlateWriter 2450SE – SOLD OUT! We are completely sold out of the PlateWriter 2450SE with no more remaining.

Sharpening the Saw – How Curiosity Ensures Your Success

I’ll never forget the day, 4 or 5 years ago now, that I had too much work to do and all I kept hearing from the back of the warehouse was, bangs and clanks, and loud scraping sounds.

Just when I thought the din had settled down, I heard someone yelling, “Move that over here! YES … and get some plates!”

Curiosity took over me. Even though I had more work than I could handle, I had to go see what was going on in the back room.

As I walked down the hall from my office to the back room and rounded the corner, I could see Rudi, Bill and Josh pushing equipment together.

As Rudi was finding a plug to use, I asked him, “What’s going on?”

[Read more…]

6 Reasons Why You Should Buy Your Glunz and Jensen Platewriter or Newswriter from DEI Systems

Everyone says that their business is the best and they have the best prices, but why should you care? I mean, how do you know they aren’t just pulling your leg?

Besides, it’s not like you are interested in hearing another sales pitch … right?

That’s why I’m not going to be salesey. Nope, I’m going to be completely honest. Because you deserve to know the truth.

So here goes:

If you are looking around for dealers to purchase a Glunz and Jensen Platewriter from, then read on. If you are not interested in saving time and money, then I thank you for your attention … you are free to go.

If you buy a Glunz and Jensen machine from anyone else, you are making a colossal mistake

[Read more…]

ECRM and Agfa Imagesetter Parts

As most ECRM imagesetter owners already know, ECRM has classsified all of their imagesetters as “end of life” machines. What this means is, if you need a part for your imagesetter, whether its a VRL36, VRL45, Mako 36, Mako 46, Mako 56, Knockout 4550, StingRay 46, StingRay 63, Marlin 46, Marlin 63, or a BlueFin, you may not be able to get parts.

Once a manufacturer classifies a machine as “end of life”, they are no longer required to carry parts for that machine, so they may or may not have the imagesetter part available if you need it.

Here at DEI Systems, we still have a good supply of  parts for ECRM “end of life” imagesetters. We can also rebuild many of the parts for imagesetters. We have a high success rate for rebuilding VRL, Mako, and StingRay spinner motors, we can even rebuild the hologon spinner motor used in the Marlin. We can also rebuild VRL, Mako, StingRay, and Marlin power supplies. And the StingRay and Marlin buffer assemblies, you know the ones where the rubber rollers melt, we can rebuild those too. So even though ECRM has put the “end of life” label on their imagesetters, we at DEI Systems have not.

As a matter of fact if you call ECRM looking for parts, and they don’t have them, they’ll probably tell you to call DEI Systems. And if you have an old Agfa imagesetter, like an Accuset or Avantra, we still have parts for those imagesetters as well.

And when you are finally ready to upgrade to a CTP system, we may even take your imagesetter in on a trade to help offset some of the cost of going computer to plate.,

A Quick Reminder Section 179 Federal Tax Code Expiring

Remember that Section 179 of the Federal Tax Code will be expiring on December 31, 2012. So if you’ve been considering purchasing a CTP system or other equipment for your business this may be the year to do it as there is no indication that this will be extended in 2013.

Section 179 states that any business in 2012 that has less than $500,000 in taxable income can write off 100% of their new or used equipment purchase with Commercial Finance Agreements.

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Thermal or Violet Plate – Which is Better? Part 3

Obviously there are pros and cons with both technologies. Thermal offers the user super high quality output, very long run lengths, and a wide variety of plate choices including processless, all with minimal environmental concerns. The downside of thermal is the higher acquisition cost, higher maintenance cost, and less speed compared to similarly priced violet systems.

So the question becomes, is the lower cost of violet technology worth it, given the quality, environmental, and plate choices you will have to make? Can the higher purchase price and maintenance cost of a thermal platesetter be justified? It is up to each buyer to decide which technology is the right choice for their location.

Thermal or Violet Plate – Which is Better? Part 2

What about run length: Thermal plates offer longer run lengths, but to achieve this, they must be baked. Unbaked run lengths can be anywhere from 100,000-350,000, but when baked, thermal plates can exceed 1 million impressions. Processless thermal plates can give run lengths of 100,000 impressions. Violet plate run length varies among manufacturers, from 100,000 to 250,000. Violet plates can also be baked to yield even longer run lengths .

What about plate cost. The most expensive plates are processless thermal plates. We are finding that cost per square foot on plates that require chemistry are about the same with both technologies. You will however find that your chemistry cost may be a little more with violet.

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Thermal or Violet Plate – Which is Better? Part 1

Thermal and Violet are the two primary technologies used in computer-to-plate systems. So which is better.

We will give you the pros and cons of each technology to help you decide which is better.

The first concern we all have is quality, although thermal is capable of producing super high quality unless you need line screens well above 200 lpi the quality that violet is capable of producing will be more than expectable.

In this economy we are all very concerned with cost, in most instances violet systems are less expensive.

[Read more…]