Nostalgia

Scitex won the prestigious Industrial Research IR-100 award for the ELP in 1977.

The Electronic Laser Plotter (priced at $125,000) was the most advanced and the biggest (1m x 1.8m) drum film plotter in the world. The plotter has been sold for more than 10 years into 4 main applications:
Geophysics research,   Engineering graphics/PCB design,   Cartography/mapping and   graphic arts/pre-press.

The development team was headed by the principle engineer, Assa Bar Lev.

The Award ceremony took place at the museum of science in Chicago on Oct. 1977. Scitex was represented by Aharon Nizani (who came over wearing his best [rental] tuxedo…).

 R&D Magazine provides timely, informative news and useful technical articles that broaden our readers’ knowledge of the R&D industry and improve the quality of their work. R&D features the latest technology, products and equipment used in laboratory research.

The 1977 article at the Industrial Magazine (now renamed R&D Magazine):

See US patent #6043865 summary: Imagesetter

Owner name: SCITEX CORPORATION, LTD., ISRAEL
ASSIGNMENT:HALUP, NIR;LICHTENSTEIN, YOAV;VRONSKY, ELIYAHU;

Publication date Mar 28, 2000
Filing date Dec 17, 1998

ABSTRACT
Imaging apparatus is provided which includes a generally cylindrical support defining a substrate support surface, a head operative to record information onto a substrate on the substrate support surfaces, and apparatus for precise rotational positioning and displacement of the cylindrical drum with respect to the imaging head. The apparatus includes at least one linear motor arranged to drive the cylindrical support in rotational motion, and control apparatus for providing electrical inputs to the linear motor to achieve precise rotational positioning of the substrate support surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Scitex invention seeks to provide improved media positioning apparatus and scanners and imagesetters employing such apparatus.
(Referring to the Scitex Dolev platform)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional scanners and imagesetters commonly Employ external or internal drums for media positioning. External drum scanners such as the Scitex ELP external drum scanner, utilize rotary motors of various types for media positioning. The cost of such motors becomes extremely high when highly accurate positioning and repeatability is required.

Internal drum imagesetters, such as for example, the Scitex Dolev 200, utilize pairs of rollers for drawing film out of a film casette and precise positioning thereof inside a drum.

Precise positioning becomes increasingly difficult as the size of the film to be positioned increases. Roller based positioning systems encounter difficulties in providing consistently precise positioning.

See full patent description here: https://www.google.com/patents/US6043865

At the 2013 ExScite reunion, Rafi Bronshtein described the process of applying to, and finally getting, his first job at Scitex. Click here  to see the young Rafi during his first period at Scitex, Herzlia 1976.

Toady, Rafi is a patent agent, operating as Daltan Consulting Ltd. in Kfar Saba.

To watch Rafi’s video presentation click on the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUo1i6-aT4Q

At the 2013 ExScite reunion, Rafi Bliman described the days leading to, and the months immediately after the founding of Scientific Technology in Rehovot.
Rafi was one of the initial handful engineers who joined Efi in establishing one of the first start-ups in Israel in 1968. He was the chief mechanical engineer and managed the first large scale projects for the Israeli defense forces. Click here to see the Kan Akiva driven during the testing phase by Aharon Nizani.

To watch Rafi’s video presentation click on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF4imipf_D4

One of the first commercial color scanners that was ever designed and built, is the Chroma-Scan.
Designed at Scientific Technology (the predecessor of Scitex in Rehovot), the Chroma-Scan was manufactured and sold into the textile image design market.
The product manager was Arie Levin (right).  Jacob Frommer (left) was the lead Electronics developer (see the schematic diagram behind them…).

To see another color photo of Jacob and the ready-to-go Scanner, click here for an earlier posting at ExScite.org.