In order to replace its CTP dating from 2007, the Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière (IGN) has installed a new CTP to produce its 4000 plates per year.
The IGN, which employs 1555 people, mainly produces hiking maps, but also offers road maps, thematic maps, relief maps and even personalized maps. 22 people work in the printing and finishing departments. The maps are printed at the workshop in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, on a Rapida KBA 145 offset press and, for print runs of less than 150 copies, on digital plotters.
"The PTC we had was working, but some spare parts were not going to be available in the future. If there was any problem, we would have been stranded." recalls François Boyero, who is responsible for the manufacture of the IGN's plaques.
Price, the undisputed strength of the Cron CTP
"In the public service, we are subject to competitive bidding. To decide which files comply with our specifications, we rate them on various criteria such as price, technical quality and performance, as well as sustainable development. Sometimes tests are also carried out."
The company Arc en Ciel Sublimation, managed by Pierre Declerck and his son Jean, entered the race, like three other candidates, with a Cron TP6064 60 inch CTP model H with an L transporter.
"On the sustainable development criterion, the candidates' scores were similar. Energy consumption in prepress is now low thanks to diode engraving instead of laser engraving." says Amélie Crépin, IGN's graphic chain engineer.
She goes on to say: "In fact, Cron's big strength is his price. And the price counts for half in the bid memo. This PTC was cheaper while offering more features."
The CTP Cron TP6064 is equipped with a semi-automatic 30-plate feeder (allowed as a variant offer in the specifications), 64 diodes instead of 32, and automatic in-line perforation.
Component quality screened
"To ensure quality, we went to see a similar model in production in Belgium. I am an electronics engineer by training and I observed the components of the Cron manufacturer. Wiring, servomotors, cylinder machined in one piece... everything is of quality, underlines François Boyero. After analyzing the bids, Arc en Ciel with its cron PTC won the tender."
Balance sheet without half measures for the Cron PTC after two years of use
Pierre and Jean Declerck install the new PTC in November 2018. "In two years, we have had no production interruptions due to CTP", sums up Amélie Crépin.
Today, the engraving of a plate is done in less than five minutes. Previously, it took 20 minutes with technology from 2007?!
In addition, the plate comes out with a perforation. "It's more accurate than doing it by hand and the layout reduces plate handling by operators. And each plate still weighs 1.7 kg?!" remarks François Boyero.
And the quality of the engraving is quite good. "We're at 2400 dpi. And we could go further by changing the type of printing plates."
Pierre Declerck, leader of Arc en Ciel Sublimation, confides: "For Cron, it was the first VLF CTP installed in France. And to equip such an exceptional state-owned establishment recognized for its quality is for us a great fierté?!"
A few months ago, the IGN's printing works was visited by a colleague who came to take a closer look at this machine. Philaposte, the printing works that produces all the stamps of France, was able to observe the CTP in production. And was also convaincu?! (for more details, read Arc en Ciel and Cron win the call for tenders launched by Philaposte for its new PTC ).
