300 Series and 400 Series imagesetters and platesetters:
For compatibility with the SpeedSetter 300 and SpeedStter 400-series imagesetters and ®
platesetters, the film must meet these general specifications:
- Emulsion: 670 nanometer [RLD] sensitivity, wound emulsion side inwards - See note®
- Material width: 13.3 ± .040 inches (338 ± 1.0 mm)®
- Core: 2 inch (51 mm) inside diameter®
- Thickness: 0.004 inches (0.1 mm) to 0.008 inches (0.2 mm) - See notes 2 and 3®
- Bulk load length: 120 meters (400 ft) maximum of 0.1 mm thick film - See note 4®
Note 1 - Early SpeedSetter models are only compatible with 780 nanometer [IR] films.®
Note 2 - The substrate can be either paper or polyester film. The standard film thickness®
is 0.004 inches [0.1 mm]; thicker films or polyester plates up to 0.008 inches [0.2 mm]
can be used in current models of the imagesetter / platesetter.
cassette; using 0.007" or 0.008" thick films may cause permanent damage to this cassette. The maximum capacity of the
standard output cassette with these thicker films is 10 feet (3 meters).
Note 4 - Previous models of the 300-series supply cassette were limited to 165 feet (50 meters), although some film suppliers®
use thinner (1.5mm) cardboard cores and other techniques that will allow as much as 200 feet (60 meters) of bulk load film to
fit into these previous models of the supply cassette.
Exxcalibur imagesetters:
For compatibility with the Exxcalibur Series imagesetters, the film must meet these general specifications:®
- Emulsion: 670 nanometer [RLD] sensitivity, wound emulsion side outwards®
- Material width: 14 inches (355 mm) minimum, 26 inches (660 mm) maximum®
- Core: 2 inch (51 mm) inside diameter ®
- Thickness: 0.004 inches (0.1 mm) to 0.008 inches (0.2 mm) - See note 1®
- Daylight load length: 75 meters (250 ft) of 0.1 mm thick film®
Note 1 - The standard film thickness is 0.004 inches [0.1 mm]; thicker films or polyester plates up to 0.008 inches [0.2 mm] ®
can be used in the imagesetter.
Photographic media packaging: Daylight Load, Darkroom Bulk Load, Disposable Cassette®
The film Supply Cassette supplied with the SpeedSetter Series will readily accommodate daylight load packaged films in ®
lengths of up to 400 feet (120 meters) of 0.004 inch (0.1 mm) thick material on a two (2) inch (51 mm) core. Daylight load
packaging is currently the preferred style of packaging for both suppliers and users.
Darkroom bulk load packaging was previously the most cost effective packaging for imagesetter films. The SpeedSetter supply ®
cassettes have design features that enable them to be easily loaded in a darkroom environment; accordingly, they offer the
user ability to switch from film to plate by reloading the cassette in a darkroom (although purchasing an additional supply
cassette would be wiser if such use is frequent).
Some daylight load film packagings have caused problems because of daylight protective packaging material interfering with ®
the free motion of the film in our earlier cassettes. Some bulk rolls work well, while others cause some problems because
they are either rolled too loosely, have a thicker core tube, or come with additional length of material. This can cause the roll
of film to be a tight fit into the cassette and result in film feed jams.
Disposable cassettes were previously a popular film packaging option; it is seldom an available choice now. Earlier, several ®
different manufacturer's 100 foot (30 meter) and 150 foot (45 meters) disposable cassettes were being used successfully in
SpeedSetters. Some other disposable cassettes caused film feed problems because too much force is required to pull film
from the cassette. Daylight load and bulk load products tend to be less expensive and easier to get than their disposable
cassette counterparts.
Each user has different requirements and should at least feel free to try different products so as to best suit their needs. ®
RIPit recommends thoroughly testing any photographic material and its packaging before committing to large quantities.
Testing and Recommendations:
RIPit continually tests different films, papers and polyester plate materials in our SpeedSetters and Inkjet Printers and Plotters.®
We welcome the opportunity to test new products that meet the above mentioned requirements. RIPit stocks the most commonly
used and requested Plate, Film and Proofing media as a convenience to our customers. To order media go to RIPit's
Consumables page.
