After 35 years as a prepress and desktop person (along with a complete list of other skills related to the trade) I am now a Presstech 5334 DI operator
(come full circle) having been around many, many presses of all configurations from single color 36" Heidelberg proofing press to an 18 unit 35" web, to a 7/color 40" Kamori with coater, down to a 2/color Ryobi, I can say that for short run (1,000-10,000 12 x 18) this press can't be beat. We have run our plates for over 13,000 impressions without breakdown, it's waterless, and turn around time for back up is impressive, i.e. tonight I just ran 1300 sheets of 80# coated text 12 x 18 med-full coverage, 15 minutes for plate imaging, 30 sheets
only for make-ready, ran at 6,000 s.p.h. drying time was 15 minutes and reloaded the stack and ran the back-up at the same speed. (job was a 8.5 x 11 tri-fold brochure run 2-up work and tumble). Besides the fact it was RIP'd at 300lpi the machine also has the capability to run stochastic screening.
I've only been running it for a month, but I love it.
