Plate systems specialist Nela says it has completed installation of four of its VCPevolution Vision punch/benders to deliver ready-to-print offset plates for the manroland Geoman presses.

The second phase of the project marks the completion of the conversion to computer-to-plate production. The latest two punch/benders are connected to three CTP lines, complementing a similar line with three CTP lines and two punch/benders already in production.

Each system delivers 270 panoramic plates an hour, which are stored in two six-bin sorting stackers. All plates dedicated to the same press tower are sorted into one stacker bin.

“After we completed the installation and put it in full production, plate quality improved and we reduced the time of the plate making process,” says ”, says Thairath’s Thanin Teranasarn. “This makes our whole workflow even more flexible.”

The completed Nela system includes a 32 metre-long plate conveyor connection between the two CTP systems, which are separated by a glass wall to provide secure back-up.

The punch/benders include a system which measures the image quality of each printing plate and triggers ejection of bad plates. The tool ensures plate production to ISO standards.

The ‘Thairath’ project began at DRUPA 2008 with an agreement over the supply of the two Nela systems, with an option for two more lines, and was followed by a visit to the factory in Lahr, Germany.