It is not the Kodak representative's responsibility to advise you on implementing a quality-control system for non-Kodak media. However, you should have a system in place to monitor UV exposure intensities.
Kodak representative are often called to a site because plate results are not satisfactory. In order to determine the source of a problem, the Kodak representative must confirm that the workflow system is accurately creating 1-bit TIFF files, and that the ThermoFlex device is accurately exposing the mask. If these two processes are confirmed to be working correctly, then the you must look downstream in the workflow for the source of the problem.
The lamps of UV exposure units lose intensity as they age. When intensity decreases, the effectiveness of plate polymerization is also reduced, resulting in improperly formed dots or insufficient relief. It is not uncommon to have inconsistent lighting intensity from one side of the UV exposure frame to the other, which results in inconsistencies on final plates.
UV exposure monitoring devices
You should monitor exposures, on all sides of the exposure frame, on an ongoing basis. This is part of a predictable, managed workflow system. You should purchase and use a device similar to the EIT Power Puck to monitor UV exposure intensity. These devices are commonly referred to as exposure pucks.
Figure 1. Exposure puck UV monitoring device
An exposure puck can record the overall amount of energy that reaches the surface of the exposure frame. It also allows identification of exposure problems prior to making improper, expensive plates, or having to pull a job off press due to printing problems. Implementing UV monitoring as part of a quality control system produces high, consistent quality, and prevents costly mistakes.
After optimum UV exposure times have been determined by the media representative, the next steps in the process are to determine minimum exposure values for each media, and the optimum combinations of screen set angles and frequencies.