Newspaper & Magazines

PREPRESS
technology. Both Agfa and Krause believe
that these customers will prefer violet systems.
Overall, all technologies are now mature.
And the discussion flatbed, inner drum, or
outer drum is no longer relevant. The only
question still confronting the user is thermal
or violet?
In addition to thermal and violet, conventional
UV sensitive plates remain an option
(Punch and basysPrint are no longer active
in this market); however, many producers
find use of chemical free plates a better
option. Chemical free violet plates have
been announced by Agfa and Fujifilm for
sometime; were presented at the Ifra 2007
and drupa 2008. The advent of these plates
ushers in a new era in plate production.
The key advantages of this technology are
no need for expensive, large foot-print,
developers, and no need to invest in a new
CTP system. Plate costs are slightly more
than conventional plate costs, but taking
chemical development out of the production
equation leads to higher plate stability.
Chemical free also improves the ecological
balance and reduces energy use.
CTP systems are no longer the focus of discussion;
increasingly the plates themselves
are in the spotlight. Plate type determines
workflow and influences post processing.
The question is, what type of plate? Not,
what plate from which manufacturer?
Once the decision has been made – thermal
or violet – a change to the alternate
technology is possible only with a complete
change of machine and materials. Therefore
careful planning in the decision making
process is of critical importance. CTP systems
are in direct relation to the spectral
sensibility of the plates. Systems determine
plate type and vice versa. Influencing
22 N&M NEWSPAPER&MAGAZINES 1/2008
The Kodak Generation News Platesetter
factors are manifold and closely coupled
and as such can not be considered in isolation.
They include:
1. Type of plate processor
2. Light and energy source in the
plate processor
3. Sensibility of the plates
4. Development process
What advantages does violet technology
offer? In comparison to thermal CTP systems
the lower investment price of violet
systems is for smaller budgets of great
interest not to mention the more attractive
plate pricing.
Those who have tracked the technology
development of violet CTP systems and
the corresponding plates will concur that
photopolymer plates meet newspaper production
demands of reliability, consistency,
and durability more than adequately. Plates
used in violet CTP systems must be handled
under yellow lighting. This disadvantage in
comparison to thermal plates is relative
as only case filling must be performed under
yellow lighting and exposure times are
short due to high light sensibility.
Thermal plates, long used by universal job
printers, are continually being optimized.
They work with wavelengths outside the
range of visible light, and as such can be
processed under normal lighting conditions.
Working in thermal wavelengths,
however, increases exposure time. All three
r major suppliers, Agfa, Fujifilm, and Kodak,
d offer thermal and violet plates. Even
Kodak, K despite a move to violet technology,
remains r loyal to thermal, and it is rumored
that
additional development focus will be
placed p in this area.
Once O again the user has a wide range of
choice c between the various CTP systems.
The T challenge is to discover what system
best b meets individual needs – or not. The
three
largest plate producers are all cer-
tain
that now and in the future the decision
for
newspaper producers will be between
thermal
and violet. Therefore they will con-
tinue
to develop for both technologies and
leave
the freedom of choice with the cus-
tomer.
Krause’s K new Smart’n easy CtP System.