Precision Colour Printing - new Platehandling Installation

Direct-to-Plate Ltd (DtP) have successfully supplied and installed an Automated Plate Handling System from Bruder Neumeister (Nela) for Precision Colour Printing (PCP) in August 2018 in conjunction with FujiFilm. The Automated System is designed to process plates for PCP’s four printing presses, MAN Rotoman, Komori S38, Heidelberg SM102, and an RMGT press and to punch and bend plates for the Komori presses. The plates are then transported to their designated sortation unit, placed on a plate trolley ready for transporting to the relevant printing press.

For all production, the job information is shown on screen using Nela’s SorterView software and is relayed to the printing presses, this Information is linked to PCP’s MIS and is picked up by a BarCode system which makes sure the plates go into the correct sortation trolley and informs the press minders when all plates are ready for collection. Helping to streamline communication effectively and efficiently. Since the installation, PCP has produced more than 350,000 plates through the Nela Automatic Plate Handling System, using 4 different plate formats.

"The Nela automated plate punch and bend investment has delivered significant benefits to all manufacturing efficiencies, examples such as; plate output times, improved register accuracy, reduced material set-up waste, reduced automatic plate-up failures, increased press up-time, improved JIT workflow. The system was installed without issues and routine servicing maintains the consistency of reliability and accuracy. The added value delivered day in day out by this investment extends much further than reducing operator touch points and it has become a ‘how did we live without it’ asset. Working with Direct to Plate from concept to current day remains both positive and constructive. " (A.Walker – Operations Director, PCP)