Abstract: A substrate manager for a substrate exposure machine is used, in one example, as a platesetter. As such, it comprises a substrate storage system, containing one or more stacks of substrates, such as plates in one implementation. A substrate picker is provided for picking substrates from the stack of substrates. The substrates are then handed to a transfer system that conveys the substrates to an imaging engine. According to the invention, a substrate inverter system is also provided. This system inverts the substrates from being imaging or emulsion side down to emulsion side up in the present implementation. This allows plates, for example, which are stored emulsion side down in cassettes to be flipped to an emulsion side up orientation, and then transferred, using the substrate transfer system to the imaging engine. This flipping process has two advantages. First, the plates can be emulsion side up during the transfer. This prevents any damage to the sensitive plate emulsions.

Abstract: A substrate manager for a substrate exposure machine is used, in one example, as a platesetter. As such, it comprises a substrate storage system, containing one or more stacks of substrates, such as plates in one implementation. A substrate picker is provided for picking substrates from the stack of substrates. The substrates are then handed to a transfer system that conveys the substrates to an imaging engine. According to the invention, a substrate inverter system is also provided. This system inverts the substrates from being imaging or emulsion side down to emulsion side up in the present implementation. This allows plates, for example, which are stored emulsion side down in cassettes to be flipped to an emulsion side up orientation, and then transferred, using the substrate transfer system to the imaging engine. This flipping process has two advantages. First, the plates can be emulsion side up during the transfer. This prevents any damage to the sensitive plate emulsions.

Abstract: A plate cassette for a platesetter comprises a tray that receives and stores stacks of plates. Side frame members are located on opposed sides of the tray. These side frame members have tracks that engage with wheels of another plate cassette and wheels that engage with tracks of still another plate cassette. In this way, cassettes may be stacked and stored, one on top of each other. The wheel engagement strategy, between cassettes, however, allows individual cassettes to be rolled out, enabling access to the plate stack in the selected cassette's tray. A suction leak groove is formed in a surface of the tray. This provides for a suction leakage path for a picker, when the picker must grab typically the last plate in the stack and the plate is not full-sized. The suction grabbers that do not directly grab the plate do not adhere to the tray, allowing the picker to separate the plate from the tray. A slip sheet removal groove is also provided.