Crackin out plates truly sounds more like an operator error than a machine
problem Frank. Has the operator gotta hard on for someone in pre-press or what
? In my profession we often find operator error to be as common (if not more so)
as actual machine issues.
The most common problems in this area are operators taking set-up short cuts,
deciding they know better than the manufacturor and implementing their own
procedural processes as opposed to the ones outlined by the manufacturor and my
real fave ...... lack of simple mechanical maintenance procedures and
lubrication of a machines assemblies and sub-assemblies.
So long as a plate is mounted and packed up correctly it's difficult to see how
the machine itself would have much to do with it cracking plates out unless the
plate adjusting mechanism is exerting undue force on the plates clamping areas
and causing it to crack from these forces when performing registration moves to
the plate cylinder.
It could even be that a change in plate mounting/packing procedures with this
machine might be in order. A sign of pure lunacy is to continue doin the same
thing over and over and expecting a differing result from those same actions
, rebuilding equipment for the printing and
finishing trades is what I do for my daily bread so I CAN play with cars on the
side 