Harlequin Transfers Ltd, Stone, Staffordshire, has announced details of a new imagesetter and RIP installation. Whilst imagesetters might sound “old hat” in the modern world of computer-to-plate devices and digital presses, when you are creating originals for the screen printing industry an imagesetter is far and away the best tool for the job.

Whilst Harlequin’s existing Agfa imagesetter and Harlequin RIP had produced sterling work for some 14 years, imaging the original films for the subsequent screen printing of transfers for the pottery industry, it was basically the end-of-the-road for this machine. Marlowe Graphic Services, the UK’s leading independent provider of CtP and imagesetting equipment, were able to come to the rescue and provide a refurbished Agfa Avantra 30 on-line imagesetter complete with StudioRIP to both replace and update the company’s original equipment.

“An imagesetter is really the only device that can provide the quality of film output that we need,” explained Mark Cowley, Managing Director of Harlequin Transfers. “Whilst there are some direct imaging solutions for screen printing on the market, they are too expensive and just not able to produce the 120 line screen that we require.”

Harlequin Transfers is a 21-year-old specialist in the production of transfers for the ceramic industry. The business currently employs 12 people and has seen huge changes in the ceramics production market in the UK during its lifetime. “We have seen the market change significantly during that time,” said Mark Cowley. “When the company was originally founded there was a huge amount of work for us here in the Potteries. The Far East gradually eroded the market here in the UK, but it has now come back strongly, albeit in small niche and specialist areas. Our customers are now spread throughout the country, and are typically small design companies producing something that little bit different. One huge bonus for us earlier this year was the Royal Wedding. We produced that many transfers for Kate and Wills mugs that I was seeing them in my sleep!”

Run lengths for Harlequin Transfers are now more likely to be in the region of 250 to 500 transfers, with maybe a 3,000 run for a regular High Street product. The Royal Wedding requirements pushed the run lengths closer to 50,000.

The pottery transfer sheets produced by Harlequin Transfers are despatched to the pottery company, adhered to the product and fired in a kiln to some 800 degrees Celcius to produce the finished article.

The StudioRIP provided by Marlowe Graphic Services in the imagesetter package has an important role to play in the creation of the transfers as it is able to provide the larger than normal number of separations required for the screen printing process – often four-colour plus five or six special colours. “The StudioRIP is very flexible when it comes to screen angles and dot shapes,” said Mark Cowley. “When you are dealing with that many separations the maths can get quite complex. StudioRIP has proven to be the most flexible solution that we have seen in this area.”

Commenting on Marlowe Graphic Services approach to the equipment issue that he set for them, Mark Cowley added: “They were just great – I gave them the problem and let them come up with the solution. They sourced the imagesetter for us, provided the RIP solution, installed it all, and made sure that it all worked. You can’t ask for more than that!”

Harlequin Transfers can be contacted on 01785 818 860