In-plants Rave About Computer-to-plate

Proofing is done with an Epson 3000 connected to the RIP, which replaces the blueline.

Mettee says getting the press operators used to polyester plates was the biggest hurdle.

"Every time they got a halfway decent long run, they wanted metal plates, and it took a little longer to get them over the curve to realize that poly plates were going to last a long time; they weren't going to stretch that much," Mettee says. "When they do stretch, it's just as easy to output another one and put it on, but it's very rare. If they put on a 100,000 run, then they have to make several plates. But for 10,000 and under, plates hold up fine."