 How To Buy a Used Imagesetter
You can bid for an imagesetter at an auction, buy from a friend who is upgrading to something better, respond to a classified advertisement; buy from a general equipment dealer, or purchase a rebuilt unit from a specialist dealer.
A wipe over with a rag and "Fantastic" cleaner will make almost any imagesetter look like new, so the external appearance of a unit is almost meaningless. What is inside is the part that is going to determine whether you have made a wise purchase.
There are very few reasons for buying an imagesetter other than the need to expand your business and make a profit. If a poor value purchase results in large repair bills, you would have been better off to buy new or rebuilt.
Here are some of the hazards to look for when purchasing a used imagesetter:
Capstan Imagesetters
Heavy duty Capstan Imagesetters, such as those previously marketed by Linotype and Agfa, are quite reliable and available at a reasonable cost. I would avoid the light weight machine since their accuracy may be limited because of roller and film tracking problems.
Potential Problems Common To Most Imagesetters and Drum Recorders
1. Scratched and blemished mirrors.
Mirrors are surface coated and easily damaged by careless technicians. Damaged mirrors cause lines in screens and missing type or artwork. Good reason to see satisfactory output if you are purchasing without a warranty. Dirty mirrors are the most common. Avoid the use of acetone, alcohol etc., or any strong chemicals on mirrors. It is safer to use water based cleaners. The relocating of laser mirrors is expensive and time consuming.
2. Weak lasers and laser power supplies.
If the present user has the laser setting turned up to a high number, the laser is probably nearing the end of its useful life. Most rebuilders replace the laser power supply as well as the laser at the same time.
3. Defective Main Power Supplies.
Defective power supplies are usually related to older imagesetters. For example the power supply was a common problem with Linotronic L300s made before December 1988, at which time Linotype redesigned the L300 electronics to take advantage of the then newer chip technology. The consequence was a reduction in the number of circuit boards required. This combined with a totally reworked power supply and a new film stepper motor with twice as many gradations resulted in the near elimination of banding when doing color output. The new L300 was designated as the "Quality Recorder" model, forerunner of the renowned L330.
4. Defective electronics.
Some people get rid of imagesetters which feature erratic problems which the serviceman cannot resolve. Reconditioning from the frame up is the only way to avoid this kind of situation.
5. Fans and circuit boards are coated in dirt.
Not uncommon, particularly in machines which are "covered by a service contract". Most often a seller will claim that the imagesetter is in perfect condition, because it has been covered by a service contract. When making our own purchasing decisions we place very little credence in this.
6. Outdated software level.
Many users do not bother to upgrade their machines to the newer software releases. This particularly applies to the RIP, (raster image processor), attached to the imagesetter. Older RIPs are totally incapable of color work because they cannot process large files.
7. Are parts and service available?
After a period of time, manufacturer's discontinue technical support for certain models. However, because a manufacturer has discontinued service support does not mean that parts are not available. Parts and service for older Agfa/Compugraphic and Linotronic models is easily obtained.
8. Liens.
Are there any outstanding service liens on the equipment? Check that all bills have been paid and that money is not due to a bank or leasing company.
Fred Simper. Published in Canada by Second Impressions Magazine, Alberta |
