Computer To Plate To Cylinder To Screen

597
4.3 Computer to Plate/to Cylinder/to Screen
4.3.1 Introduction
Laser
“Computer to plate” is the term used to describe the 6 11 10 7 .
computer-controlled direct imaging of printing plates Optics
2 15 14 3
from digital data. It refers to the production of print-
ing plates for offset printing as well as to the produc-
tion of plates for flexographic printing. “Computer to Computer to Plate
cylinder” is the term used for the direct imaging of
printing cylinders, thus for engraving gravure printing Fig. 4.3-1 The three elements of computer to plate
cylinders directly from digital data. “Computer to
screen” is the corresponding term used in the produc-
tion of stencils for screen printing.
The general basic sequences and principles applied Computer to plate (CtP) comprises three basic com-
in producing these computer-generated plates are de- ponents: computer, imaging system, and printing
scribed below. A separate description of computer to plate/plate support (fig. 4.3-1). All components have
cylinder and computer to screen is given later. now reached a suitably advanced technological state for
A wide range of computer to plate technologies and practical application.
systems was introduced on the market at the end
of 1993 (IPEX 93, trade fair for the graphic arts Computer
industry); and since then, it has been one of the great The computer rightly has first place, because it influ-
themes at all of the subsequent trade fairs and ences the entire workflow. Electronic imposition
events for the graphic arts industry (e.g., DRUPA 95 (see sec. 3.2.5) on computer, in particular, results in fun-
and IPEX 98). There was more hesitancy in putting damental savings in the time and cost of platemaking
this type of printing plate production into practice compared to manual assembly on light tables. The over-
than manufacturers had expected, however. The all system usually comprises several computers dedi-
essential prerequisite for computer to plate, that cated to various functions such as imposition, a raster
the complete printing plate images be available as image processor (RIP), intermediate data storage, and
digital data files, had still not been adequately met. a control computer for the equipment.
The digitization of prepress has moved forward
slowly, since the entire organization of work and Imaging System
sequences (workflow) has to be converted to the dig- The transfer of digital data from the computer to im-
ital process. This is a big challenge for a company and age the plate surface is performed by the central ele-
its employees as regards education and training and a ment of the computer to plate system, the plate image-
change of tasks. Another hurdle in the path of its in- setter. In most systems lasers are used for this purpose.
troduction is the volume of investment required. The power and wavelength of the laser beams have to
However, it is to be expected that this technology will be matched to the sensitivity of the plate surface.
be used more and more and that there will be more
than five thousand systems in operation in the year Printing Plate
2000 (there were approximately six hundred in early A large number of plate types is available for comput-
1997). er to plate applications. Offset plates vary with respect
© H a n d b o o k o f P r i n t M e d i a, H . K i p p h a n ( I S B N 3 - 5 4 0 - 6 7 3 2 6 - 1 )
598 4 Computer to … Technologies
both to the base, namely aluminum, polyester, or pa- Canadian company Creo, for example, operate with
per, and to the coating. In the current state of the art about 240 parallel, independently controlled beams.
most plates still have to be developed by means of a sol- Figure 4.3-3 shows the drum and the imaging unit of
vent or water-based process after imaging. an external drum CtP system. The imaging head moves
along the entire axial length of the drum. This is quite
4.3.2 Technology of Computer to Plate different from the carrier bar design with separate laser
Systems for Offset Printing
4.3.2.1 Design Principles Digital data

There are three major design principles for the design
of plate imagesetters: internal drum, external drum,
and flat-bed imagesetters. The most important charac-
teristics of drum plate imagesetters are compiled in Laser
table 4.3-1 (see also [4.3-1]).
External Drum Design

The plate is mounted on a drum, on the same basic
principle as with the plate cylinder of a printing press
(fig. 4.3-2). The imaging head focuses one or more laser
beams on the plate surface. The imaging head moves Optics
along the axis of the drum while the drum rotates. Feed Drum
may be continuous, so that one individual laser beam
writes one sweep, or in stages if the gap (the area of the
drum in which the clamping device is located, not the
plate) rotates past the imaging head.
The crucial advantage of the external drum method
over the internal drum imaging method is that both Printing plate
structurally and optically it is relatively easy to focus
several laser beams on the plate surface simultaneous- Fig. 4.3-2
ly. This leads to a corresponding reduction in imaging Design principle of an external drum plate imagesetter: The print-
time for the entire plate. The imaging heads of the ing plate is mounted on the drum
Table 4.3-1 Internal drum External drum

Characteristics of internal and external
drum plate imagesetters Stationary printing plate Rotating printing plate
(risk of unbalance, centrifugal forces)
Punch can be integrated in the drum Easy plate handling (as with plate cylinder
in the printing unit)
One laser beam (several laser beams with A large number of parallel laser beams
more recent developments) for the (e.g., 200) possible:
complete plate: – risk of uneven beam intensity
– uniform beam intensity throughout – shorter imaging time
– longer imaging time
– very short radiation time per pixel
Æ greater accuracy, with thermal
plates less loss of energy
Large optical depths of focus Optics very close to the plate, short
optical path
4.3 Computer to Plate/to Cylinder/to Screen 599
Fig. 4.3-3
Computer to plate system based on the ex- a
ternal drum design.
a General view;
b Drum with imaging unit (Trendsetter,
Heidelberg/Creo)
diodes arranged at intervals (e.g., Presstek about than 180°. The plate exposure in such a system, the beam
20 mm apart). The carrier bar is nearly as long as the path, and the laser optics are shown in figure 4.3-6.
drum and only needs to be moved within the distance There is a rotating mirror on the geometrical axis of
of the laser diodes (see fig. 4.4-6). This principle is also the internal drum/trough. The laser beam is reflected
applied in the computer to press/direct imaging system into the axis of the drum and deflected by the rotating
“Quickmaster DI” (see sec. 4.4.1). mirror onto the plate surface, which it scans in a cir-
Up till now the external drum method has been the cumferential direction. The optics with the rotating
one normally used in the design of computer to plate sys- mirror move slowly in an axial direction. The rotating
tems for the imaging of flexographic plates (fig. 4.3-4). mirror rotates very fast: the number of rotations may
be more than 40000 rpm (revolutions per minute).
Internal Drum Design Some manufacturers who have decided in favor of
The internal drum concept derives from the design of the internal drum principle construct the trough with
film imagesetters. The printing plate is placed in a cylin- a granite base, so that it is as solid, geometrically stable,
drical trough (fig. 4.3-5). Most devices use angles greater and vibration-proof as possible. The plate support is
Fig. 4.3-4
External drum system for the digital imag-
ing of flexographic printing plates (Flexo
Lasersetter, Wetzel)
Digital data
Laser
Rotating mirror
Optics
Fig. 4.3-6
Mirror Internal drum and beam path in a plate imagesetter (PlateRite
Printing plate Internal drum (trough) PI-R2080, Dainippon Screen)
Fig. 4.3-5
Design principle of an internal drum plate imagesetter: The printing
plate is held in a concave cylindrical support
four laser diodes in the rotating module. This array of
diodes is close to the plate surface. Deflecting mirrors
are not necessary. There is fast contactless image data
usually fixed in position. In one of the first computer transfer, the data being transferred to the rotating im-
to plate systems from Krause-Biagosch (former Hope) aging head. (Other multibeam concepts are demon-
the entire trough with the printing plate was moved in strated by Fuji Film, ECRM, and Cymbolic Sciences).
a direction parallel to the axis, while the imaging op-
tics was fixed in an axial direction. The Gerber compa- Flat-Bed Design
ny, now Barco, should be mentioned as a pioneer of in- In the flat-bed concept, the printing plate is held flat on
ternal drum technology. a level base during the imaging process (fig. 4.3-7). In
It is more difficult to work with several beams in par- the simplest and most commonly used example of im-
allel using the internal drum method. But there are even aging technology, the laser beam is deflected line by line
solutions to this. In 1997 the CtP system “XPose!” was across the plate by a rotating polygon mirror with im-
introduced by Lüscher. In this system there are sixty- aging and correction optics. Here, the problem arises
4.3.2.2 Imaging Methods and Plate Punching
Digital data Laser Imaging

Lens Laser Laser technology is used for imaging in most comput-
er to plate systems. Outputs in excess of 1 watt per beam
Polygon Modulator may be necessary, depending on the type of plate used
mirror and the design method applied. This relatively high
power is needed, because the laser beam only has an af-
Lens fect on an individual dot on the plate for a few mi-
Mirror croseconds at a high imaging speed, and therefore has
Printing plate only a short time in which to produce the desired ef-
fects.
pl a
Gas lasers (argon-ion or helium-neon) are found in
all design types (external and internal drum, flat-bed).
te
Solid-state lasers of a smaller structure are being used
increasingly instead of large gas lasers, especially those
made from Neodymium (Nd): YAG (YAG yttrium
aluminum garnet). The YAG crystal is doped with op-
Fig. 4.3-7 tically effective Nd atoms. Nd:YAG lasers emit radia-
Design principle of a flat-bed plate imagesetter: The printing plate tion with a wavelength of 1064 nm. By doubling the fre-
is held on a flat table quency, this radiation can be transformed from the in-
frared range to the visible green range (532 nm), and by
trebling the frequency it can even be transformed into
that in spite of the complicated optics, the laser dot at the UV range. Because of this frequency doubling, the
the edges of the plate is of a different geometry than abbreviation FD-YAG is often used for the frequency-
that in the center area of the plate (the projection is less doubled Nd:YAG lasers. Nd:YAG lasers are currently
sharp and round). Because of this optical distortion, the most commonly used solid-state lasers (not only in
which increases with the format, flat-bed imagers are the printing industry). They offer good optical quality
more suitable for smaller formats and less stringent and can cover a power range from a few milliwatts to
quality requirements (e.g., in newspaper printing). some 100 watts at an acceptable price/performance ra-
There are actually technical solutions for avoiding the tio [4.3-2].
imaging errors with the design methods used in Laser diodes are more economically efficient than gas
fig. 4.3-7 (special optics, etc.), but they are not yet used and solid-state lasers, and they also have a longer life
in serial production devices and can only be imple- cycle. Red light laser diodes are particularly economi-
mented at greater expense. However, developments in cal and common (630 and 670 nm). They have a life cy-
this direction are in progress. cle of two to four years. Thermal laser diodes (e.g.,
A great advantage of the flat-bed method is the very wavelength of 830 nm) can operate at considerably
easy handling of the plate. High-quality devices that higher power, such as is needed for thermal-sensitive
use the flat-bed method are therefore fitted with sever- plates.
al special imaging heads working in parallel (e.g., Figure 4.3-8 shows the major lasers for computer to
“LithoSetter” from Barco) or they have an imaging plate technology with their power range and radiation
head that moves across the plate in several consecutive wavelength. Printing plates suitable for digital imaging
strips (“Titan 582 Combination Platesetter” from and laser imaging systems are not usually developed in-
ICG). dependently of one another, but as a system.
There is a relatively high number of flat-bed systems
in the 50 cm ¥ 70 cm format range and in newspaper Imaging with UV Light
printing. The ease of plate handling makes this method Digital imaging of conventional UV-sensitive plates is
particularly favorable for newspapers, because a high also possible. BasysPrint, for example, has developed
throughput, and consequently a short production the so-called “Digital Screen Imaging (DSI) process”
time, is particularly important here. for this purpose. The light originating from a strong
Fig. 4.3-8
Laser sources for use in computer to plate Laser power Nd:YAG laser
[Watt] Frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser 354 nm IR laser diode
systems with their wavelengths and power UV argon ion laser 350 – 364 nm 830–870 nm
1064 nm
ranges (approximate values) 100 Argon ion FD-YAG laser1
laser 488 nm 532 nm
10
Laser diode
1 (red)
670–680 nm
Laser HeNe laser
0.1 diode 633 nm
(violet)
405 nm
0.01
0.001
300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200
Wave length [nm]
Ultraviolet Visible light Infrared radiation
radiation range 1 frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser
UV lamp is, for example, directed onto a digitally con- lent to a film) is applied to a pre-coated conventional
trollable, two-dimensional light matrix, which consists plate. This is followed by exposure with flood-lighting
of about 500 ¥ 500 separate LCD elements (LCD Liq- and developing. An ink jet process, which works with-
uid Crystal Display–light valve matrix). They can be out developing, was introduced for the first time in 1997
controlled individually, thus letting light pass through by Iris/Scitex, as a device close to being ready for series
or blocking it out. As a result of this, a pixel-form im- production. In this process, a special aqueous ink is
age is produced from the light matrix, which is pro- used to spray an image onto an uncoated, electroliti-
jected in the same way as with a projector, through the cally grained, and anodized aluminum plate in an ex-
optics and onto the printing plate (fig. 4.3-9). An external drum device. After drying and thermal after-
posure operation always images only part of an entire treatment the image applied carries the printing ink as
plate, a square with side lengths of about 0.3 to 2.5 cm, an oleophilic coating (see fig. 4.4-28). Table 4.3-2 gives
depending on the resolution selected.An accurate drive an overview of systems based on ink jet technology.
system and a positioning mechanism make provision
for the exact assembly of the partial images. They move Multipurpose Systems
the imaging head over the printing plate in stages. The Since about 1995 systems have also been available that
plate imagesetter is designed on the basis of the flat-bed can image the plate using both digital data and film.
concept (fig. 4.3-10). This involves a combination of a conventional step-
In 1997, the company Purup-Eskofot also introduced and-repeat machine and digital technology (CtP).
a plate imagesetter for UV-sensitive plates. The “Mo- Both devices, the “Digital Page Stripper” of the Amer-
grafo” plate imagesetter can expose plates with a for- ican company Cortron and the “Laserstepper” of the
mat of up to 1850 mm ¥ 1300 mm and uses a UV ar- Swedish company Misomex, are designed on the flat-
gon-ion laser with a wavelength of 351 nm. Further sys- bed principle (table 4.3-3). They have two different
tems will follow. light sources/exposure systems, one for digitally con-
trolled imaging and the other for the exposure of nor-
Ink Jet Imaging mal films by floodlight.
Computer to plate systems using an ink jet technology Numerous CtP systems can now be used for the dig-
for imaging were also introduced for the first time at ital imaging of both plates and films; the imaging sys-
DRUPA 95. In the ink jet process, a mask (the equiva- tem varies according to the method of exposure and the
material to be exposed, especially as regards exposure

intensity and speed.
Reflector
Punching
Distinction can be made, in principle, between two op-
UV light erating sequences for punching in CtP systems: on the
source one hand, the imaging of plates that have been pre-
punched and fixed correspondingly in the system; and,
on the other, the positioning of the plate with pins as
Optical lens aligning stops for imaging, the plate is punched until
system imaging has taken place. In the first case, pre-punching
either occurs in a separate punch or is integrated into
the CtP system. It is particularly easy to integrate plate
punches into plate imagesetters of internal drum and
flat-bed design. Some CtP systems are fitted with sev-
Light
matrix eral punching tools, so that printing plates of different
formats can be made for different printing presses. In
some cases, punching tools also serve directly as regis-
ter pins for the CtP system.
In systems without pre-punching, the plate is posi-
tioned in-register by means of pins. There are usually
Optical lens three pins, against which the plate is aligned on two
system sides and then fastened. In some CtP systems, the plate
is automatically pressed against the pins with great pre-
cision during alignment by means of sliding bars. The
contact between pins and plate is also monitored elec-
tronically to avoid incorrect positioning. If punching is
not done within the CtP system, the plates are punched
Fig. 4.3-9 in a separate punch after imaging and developing, the
Design of the “Digital Screen Imaging (DSI)” system for computer punch preferably having the same system and the same
to plate systems for the exposure of conventional UV-sensitive print- arrangement of alignment pins as the CtP system.
ing plates (basysPrint)
Fig. 4.3-10
Computer to plate system (flat-bed design)
for conventional UV-sensitive printing
plates (UV Setter 710, basysPrint)
Model Company Plate size Imaging time Plate processing

(design) (or cooperation) mm ¥ mm for maximum format
(max. addressability)
IJP-1000 Alpha Merics, Kodak 1422 ¥ 1422 11 min/900 dpi 1. UV flood light
(flat-bed) Polychrome Graphics (1200 dpi) (1220 mm ¥ 1220 mm) 2. wet-chemical
Extrema Lastra (Italy) 1024 ¥ 816 1. UV flood light
(flat-bed) (914 dpi) 2. wet-chemical
Solid ink jet printer Dataproducts 670 ¥ 560 5 min (fast mode) No development
SJ02A (Hitachi Group) (1200 dpi)
(flat-bed)
Iris2PLATE Iris/Scitex 711 ¥ 533 7 min/600 dpi No development, ink-accepting
(external drum) (600 dpi) areas for offset printing are
created by ink jet ink sprayed onto
aluminum
Table 4.3-2 Computer to plate systems using ink jet technology (Status: 1999)
Model Company Plate size Market column under the term “cooperation.” The great num-
(design) mm ¥ mm, launch ber of possible raster image processor (RIP) configu-
(max. addressability) rations on the one hand and automation systems on
the other produces a great variety of system solutions.
Laserstepper Misomex 1700 ¥ 1150 1995
(flat-bed) (Sweden) (2540 dpi) Table 4.3-5 contains a corresponding overview of sys-
tems in the larger format range (70 cm ¥ 100 cm or
Digital Cortron 1676 ¥ 1100 1995 eight pages and larger). Figure 4.3-11 shows an example
PageStripper (USA) (2540 dpi)
(flat-bed) of a very large format system.
There are numerous systems available in various stages
Table 4.3-3 of automation, such as the “Trendsetter” system (fig.
Computer to plate systems which can also image the plate via films 4.3-3) outfitted for manual plate feeding, or for automat-
(selection) ic plate feed via plate cassette (figs. 4.3-18 and 3.2-87, e.g.).
Computer to Plate for Newspaper Printing

4.3.2.3 Computer to Plate Systems for Compared to commercial printers, quite different cir-
Offset Printing cumstances apply in the workflow for computer to plate
systems in newspaper printers. Platemaking is not dis-
Printing Plate Format Categories tributed more or less evenly over the whole day but that
There are computer to plate systems for all format cat- a large number of plates has to be made in the shortest
egories and ranges of applications in accordance with possible time just before printing starts. The shorter the
the customary formats of offset printing. The systems time needed for platemaking (and printing too, of
mainly to be used for commercial and book printing course), the later the editorial deadline can be set, which
are given in table form here, classified by format cate- in turn leads to the greater immediacy of the newspa-
gory, together with their most important technical da- per. On the other hand, high requirements for printing
ta. The selection does not claim to be comprehensive. quality, such as exist in commercial printing, do not ap-
Table 4.3-4 gives an overview of the systems in the ply. This means that the plate imagesetters have to pro-
small format range (smaller than 70 cm ¥ 100 cm or duce a lot of plates very quickly, but addressability need
smaller than eight pages of A4). Some systems are mar- not be so high. These two basic conditions go well to-
keted by other companies, sometimes even under oth- gether and accommodate each other: Lower address-
er names, as OEM products (OEM Original Equip- ability, and so low dpi values, favors higher throughput
ment Manufacturer). This is indicated in the second because the imaging time is shorter.
Model Company Plate size Imaging time Laser Market

(design) (or cooperation) mm ¥ mm for maximum format launch
(max. addressability) per plate
Antares, PlateJet Cymbolic Sciences, 940 ¥ 660 3.9 min/2000 dpi Nd:YAG, FD-YAG 1995
(internal drum) Agfa (4000 dpi)
FlateRite 1050 Dainippon Screen, 745 ¥ 620 44 s/1200 dpi Laser diode 1997
(flat-bed) Mitsubishi Paper (3000 dpi) 630 nm
AIR 75, PI 3000CTP ECRM, Fujifilm 749 ¥ 616 50 s/1270 dpi Argon ion 1998
(internal drum) (2540 dpi) 5 beams
Crescent 3030 (T) Barco (Gerber) 762 ¥ 762 3 min/1270 dpi Laser diode 1996
(internal drum) (3810 dpi) 670 nm
(Nd:YAG)
Trendsetter 3230 Heidelberg/Creo 813 ¥ 762 2 min/1200 dpi Thermal laser diode 1997
(external drum) (3200 dpi) 240 beams (830 nm)
Platinum 2230 HighWater Designs 813 ¥ 660 1.6 min/1270 dpi FD-YAG 1996
(flat-bed) (2540 dpi) 532 nm
Aurora Electra Optronics 900 ¥ 745 1.5 min/1000 dpi Argon ion, 1998
(external drum) (4000 dpi) Nd:YAG
Pearlsetter 74, 52 Presstek, Shinohara 749 ¥ 616 7.4 min/1270 dpi 32 thermal laser 1995
(external drum) (2540 dpi) diodes
Futuro Scangraphic 770 ¥ 650 7 min/1270 dpi Nd:YAG 1997
Topsetter 74 Heidelberg 830 ¥ 645 3.75 min/2400 dpi 32 thermal 2000
(4000 dpi) laser diodes
(830 nm)
Table 4.3-4
Computer to plate systems in the smaller format range (smaller than 70 cm ¥ 100 cm or smaller than 8 pages; selection, status: 1999)
European newspaper printers that installed a CtP Therefore this market requires special, large-format
system before 1998 produce an average of two hundred CtP systems adapted to these conditions, though by the
plates a day [4.3-3]. This mostly involves newspapers end of 1997 there were only two Beta test installations
with fairly small and medium-sized circulation, which in the Japanese newspaper sector [4.3-4].
often use only one or two web presses per circulation Computer to plate systems designed for newspaper
and therefore have less need for multiple plates per printing can be found in table 4.3-6. Many of these sys-
page. Large newspaper operations, which frequently tems are available with highly-automated plate feed
require multiple plates per page for several web press- systems and, of course, with online developing units.
es, must invest in several plate imagers. Automation increases system throughput, but this also
On top of this there are the extremely varied cir- raises the system price. Many CtP systems for newspa-
cumstances and conditions in the newspaper printing pers are designed on the flat-bed principle because
industry world-wide. There are great differences in this plate handling is relatively simple on that basis and can
sector between North America and Europe; only about be done quickly. Some systems have also been designed
a quarter of the large North American newspapers pro- so that two suitably small plates are imaged simultane-
duce their pages in full-page make-up [4.3-4]. In Japan ously alongside each other. All systems designed for
double-length plates (in print direction) are predomi- newspapers use laser sources with beams in the visible
nantly used in newspaper printing because printing is range, and therefore no thermal technology. The rea-
always done in double production (see fig. 8.1-4) there. son is that at present thermal-sensitive plates require

(design) (or cooperation) mm ¥ mm, for max. format launch
(max. addressability) at ~ 1200 dpi
Galileo Agfa 1130 ¥ 820 2 min/1200 dpi Nd:YAG (1064nm), 1997

(internal drum) (3600 dpi) FD-YAG (532nm)
LithoSetter III, V Barco Graphics 2 formats 1.7 min/1270 dpi FD-YAG 1996
(flat-bed) III:1100 ¥ 810 (1100 ¥ 810) 3 resp. 5 heads
V: 1650 ¥ 350
(4000 dpi)
Crescent/42 (HS) (T) Barco Graphics 1067 ¥ 813 3 min/1270 dpi Argon ion 1992
(internal drum) (Gerber) (3600 dpi) (T: Nd:YAG)
Crescent 68 (T ) Barco Graphics 1727 ¥1320 3 min/1270 dpi Laser diode (630 nm) 1997
(internal drum) (Gerber) (3600 dpi) (oder
T: Nd:YAG)
Trendsetter 3244T Heidelberg/Creo several formats 2 min/1200 dpi thermal laser diode 1995
(external drum) starting from (1117 ¥ 813) 240 beams
1117 ¥ 813
(3200 dpi)
Platesetter 3244 Heidelberg/Creo 1117 ¥ 813 2 min/1200 dpi FD-YAG 1994
(external drum) (3200 dpi) 480 beams or
thermal laser diode
240 beams
PlateJet8, Cymbolic Sciences, 1100 ¥ 910 4.8 min/2000 dpi FD-YAG, 1997
Antares 1600 Agfa (4000 dpi) Nd:YAG
(internal drum)
PlateRite 2080 Dainippon Screen, 1068 ¥ 820 2.7 min/2000 dpi Argon ion 1997
(internal drum) Mitsubishi Paper Mills (4000 dpi) 488 nm
PlateRite PTR 8000 Dainippon Screen 1160 ¥ 940 5 min/2400 dpi 32 thermal 1998
(external drum) (4000 dpi) laser diodes
Celix 8000 CTP Fujifilm 1045 ¥ 900 4 min/1219 dpi Argon ion 1995
Titan 582 ICG 1120 ¥ 840 4 min/1270 dpi FD-YAG 1997
(flat-bed) (3396 dpi)
LaserStar 110 C, Krause Biagosch 3 formats 1.5 min/1270 dpi Nd:YAG 1995
140 C, 170 C LS 110C or
(internal drum) 1050 ¥ 850 FD-YAG
(2540 dpi)
XPose! 120, 160 Lüscher 120: 1100⫻900 5 min/2540 dpi 64 thermal 1997
(internal drum) (2540 dpi) laser diodes
OmniSetter 4000 Misomex, Kaber 1219 ¥ 914 varying according thermal laser diodes 1997
(external drum) (2540 dpi) to medium 20 beams
Aurora (semiautom.) Optronics 1130 ¥ 900 1.5 min/1000 dpi Argon ion or 1995
Eos (automatic) (4000 dpi) Nd:YAG
(external drum) 16 beams
Table 4.3-5 Computer to plate systems in the larger format range (70 cm x 100 cm or 8 pages and larger; selection, status: 1999)
(continuation on next page)

(design) (or cooperation) mm ¥ mm, for max. format launch
(max. addressability) at ~ 1200 dpi
Merlin Purup-Eskofot 1080 ¥ 820 2.3 min/1270 dpi Argon ion 1997
Lotem 800 V Scitex 1130 ¥ 900 4 min/2540 dpi 24 thermal 1998
(external druml) (3556 dpi) laser diodes
UVSetter 710 basysPrint 1120 ¥ 820 1 head: 8 min/1270 dpi 1 or 2 heads 1996
(flat-bed) (1800 dpi) with UV lamps
Topsetter 102 Heidelberg 1160 ¥ 940 5 min/2400 dpi 32 thermal 2000
(4000 dpi) laser diodes
(830 nm)
Table 4.3-5 (Continued)

Computer to plate systems in the larger format range (70 cm x 100 cm or 8 pages and larger; selection, status: 1999)
Fig. 4.3-11
Computer to plate system (internal drum
design) for large formats
(Laser Star LS 170 C, Krause-Biagosch)
more energy and therefore cannot be imaged as quick- tive feature of electrophotographic printers specially
ly as CtP plates that are sensitive in the visible range. designed for imaging printing plates compared to nor-
mal electrophotographic printers is the modified fixing
Computer to Plate for Small Format Offset Printing unit. Toner must be particularly firmly anchored on the
Computer to plate solutions are available for small for- base material and this is achieved with a higher fixing
mat, above all single-color offset printing (typically: temperature, and without fixing rollers wetted with sil-
approximately A3 format) that do justice to the limit- icone oil. With respect to tone values some of these elec-
ed investment potential of this predominantly small trophotographic printers can be calibrated in the same
and medium-sized sector. way as film imagesetters.
The most cost-effective solution here lies in using Whereas polyester plates to be imaged in electropho-
electrophotographic printers, in which special polyester tographic printers with toner are mainly suitable for
or paper-based printing plates are imaged. The distinc- single-color printed products or, at best, for spot colors
Model Company Plate size max. Laser Market

(design) (or cooperation) mm ¥ mm, throughput launch
(max. addressability) (plates/hour)
Ozasol LE 100 Agfa, Strobbe 900 ¥ 650 128 FD-YAG 1996

(in USA: ”Polaris 100“) (2400 dpi) 532 nm
(flat-bed)
NewsJet, Antares Cymbolic Sciences, 940 ¥ 690 60 FD-YAG 1995
(flat-bed) Agfa (2000 dpi) 532 nm
APS 3850 CtP Autologic 660 ¥ 474 100 Argon ion or 1998
(flat-bed) (2540 dpi) red laser diode
670nm
EG-2300 Escher-Grad 736 ¥ 585 41 Argon ion 1995
(flat-bed) (Polychrome) (2400 dpi) 488 nm
MagnaSetter Fujifilm 635 ¥ 457 40 Argon ion 1993
650 CTP (1828 dpi) 488 nm
(flat-bed)
PI 3000 CTP, AIR 75 Fujifilm, ECRM 749 ¥ 616 74 Argon ion 1997
(internal drum) (1540 dpi) 5 beams
Digital Plate Maker Kodak-Polychrome, 640 ¥ 500 60 red laser diode 1995
(flat-bed) Versitec (2304 dpi) 670nm
256 beams
LaserStar/N Krause Biagosch 1030 ¥ 800 50 FD-YAG 1995
LaserExpress CTP K&F Manufacturing 2 ¥ 650 ¥ 400 > 100 FD-YAG 1998
Panther FasTRAK Prepress Solutions 914 ¥ 610 42 Argon ion 1996
DMX 2737 Purup-Eskofot 940 ¥ 690 120 FD-YAG 1997
DiamondSetter Western Lithotech, 2 ¥ 610 ¥ 355 > 100 FD-YAG 1996
(flat-bed) Mitsubishi (2540 dpi) 532 nm
Table 4.3-6 Computer to plate systems for newspaper printing (selection, status: 1999)
and for short print runs, higher printing quality can be by the German company Opto-Tech is now available in
achieved using polyester plates that have a light-sensitive partially modified form from several suppliers. At the
coating on a silver base. These plates can be imaged with end of 1998 Toray Industries announced an external
film imagesetters. With polyester-based plates, exposure drum device for two-page format, especially for water-
primarily takes place as the material is unrolled and in less offset plates with thermal laser imaging. The intro-
most cases the imaged plate material is transferred di- duction of other products in this field can be expected.
rectly to the chemical developing unit. Some plate im-
agesetters that have been specially developed for imag- 4.3.3 Computer to Plate for
ing polyester plates in a film imagesetter can be found
in table 4.3-7.
Flexographic Printing
A device that operates on the Capstan principle (see As explained in detail in sections 1.3.2.1 and 2.3.3, flex-
fig. 3.1-4) is shown in figure 4.3-12. Figure 4.3-13 shows ography is a letterpress printing technology, in which a
a device in this small-format range especially designed flexible (soft) printing plate is pressed against a hard
for aluminum plates. The device originally developed impression cylinder. Three different imaging systems
Model Company Plate material Plate size Remarks

(design) mm ¥ mm,
(max. addressability)
Various electrophoto- HP, Lasermaster, Printec, Polyester, paper up to 635 306 Powder toner
graphic printers Xanté… (1200 dpi)
Propis Digital Graphics ZnO paper 520 ¥ 457 Liquid toner
(external drum) (2304 ¥ 1152 dpi)
Digital Platemaster ABDick Polyester 551 ¥ 419 Digital imaging:
2000 (silver diffusion), (1200 dpi) red laser diode
paper 670 nm;
also for reflection originals
Quicksetter Heidelberg Polyester 406 mm wide Imaging:
(Capstan) (silver diffusion) (3386 dpi) red laser diode
670 nm
Silver Digiplater Mitsubishi Paper Mills Polyester 660 ¥ 550 Imaging:
(internal drum) (silver diffusion) (4064 dpi) red LED multi-beam line
DPX Purup-Eskofot Polyester 550 ¥ 420 Imaging:
(internal drum) (silver diffusion) (2540 dpi) red laser diode
670 nm
CTP 0520 Sack, Opto-Trade, Aluminum 525 ¥ 459 HeNe laser
(external drum) Litronic (e.g., photopolymer) (2032 dpi) 543 nm (green)
Platinum 2218 HighWater Designs Aluminum 558 ¥ 460 Laser diode

(flat-bed) (e.g., silver diffusion) (2540 dpi) 400 nm (violet)
Table 4.3-7 Computer to plate systems for small format offset printing (max. format A3+; selection, status: 1999)
Fig. 4.3-12
Computer to plate system (Capstan princi-
ple; see also fig. 3.1-4) for polyester print-
ing plates (Quicksetter, Heidelberg)
are available for computer to plate in flexographic

printing:
• laser imaging of the mask (high quality),

• laser engraving/ablation (up to approximately 600
dpi, mostly used for rubber plates),
• direct imaging with very high energy UV light
(quality suitable for newspaper printing).
The first computer to plate systems for flexographic

photopolymer plates were shown at DRUPA 95. They
work on the external drum imagesetter principle and a
Nd: YAG laser is used for imaging the mask. The plate
is held on the drum by vacuum. The Barco company’s
“Cyrel Digital Imager” system may be taken as an ex-
ample (fig. 4.3-14). This system is suitable for DuPont
Cyrel plates with a format of up to 1067 mm ¥ 1524 mm.
In full format with 48 lines/cm screen, imaging takes
approximately 35 minutes. Addressability is a maxi-
mum of 4000 dpi.
Low laser power suffices to image the laser-sensitive
black coating on the photopolymer plate. The black
coating is vaporized in areas corresponding to the im-
age, consequently serving as a film for the subsequent
UV exposure (details of the composition and function
of these plates are given in sec. 4.3.9, see fig. 4.3-30).
Fig. 4.3-13 After imaging, these plates undergo conventional ex-
Computer to plate system for aluminum printing plates for small for- posure on the reverse and image side (main exposure)
mats up to 459 mm ¥ 525 mm, external drum design (CTP 0520,
with UV light and are then developed or further
Sack)
Fig. 4.3-14
Computer to plate system for flexographic
printing plates up to a format of 1067 mm
x 1524 mm (Cyrel Digital Imager, Barco/
DuPont)
processed. In 1997 a computer to plate system suitable cylinder technology is far more widespread in gravure
for both flexographic and some thermal-sensitive off- printing than computer to plate technology in offset
set plates was introduced for the first time by Misomex, printing. Figure 4.3-15 shows a digital engraving ma-
the “Omnisetter.” A light source consisting of twenty chine for rotogravure printing.
thermal laser diodes (wavelength 830 nm) is used as the Electrons or laser beams have been tested in con-
imaging system here. junction with various base materials for direct engrav-
In flexographic computer to plate systems for pro- ing by applying heat energy to the base material. Elec-
ducing relatively soft rubber printing plates, the re- tron beam engraving has worked very efficiently. How-
cessed, ink-free parts of the printing plate are removed ever, it is too expensive as a result of the costly vacuum
directly by laser energy (laser engraving). The ablated technology. Thus, for economic reasons, no system has
particles are removed by suction. High-power lasers yet been marketed. A fully automated gravure system
(such as 1–2.5 kW CO2 lasers) are used for this activity. using laser beams, the “Laserstar” from Max Dätwyler,
The laser engraving of gummed rollers for continuous was presented at DRUPA 95. In this, however, the cylin-
printing has been possible since the seventies. With the ders have to be coated with zinc (instead of copper) be-
maturing of computer technology, computer to plate cause of its better absorption capacity, particularly at
became available as early as the end of the eighties. 1064 nm (Nd:YAG). This entails high expenditure on
UV direct imaging is available as the “UV Laser Plate- conversion of the other cylinder preparation processes
setter” from Napp Systems. By means of high-power (see sec. 2.2.1.1).
UV laser light the polymerisation needed for produc-
ing the flexographic plate is carried out directly pixel 4.3.5 Computer to Screen for
by pixel.
Screen Printing
4.3.4 Computer to Cylinder for A detailed description of screen printing is given in sec-
tions 1.3.2.4 and 2.4.1. Computer to screen is the digital
Gravure Printing production of image carriers for screen printing in
Direct digital control of mechanically stylus engraving which the print image data, controlled directly via the
devices has been possible since about 1985 in gravure computer, are output onto the stencil or screen [4.3-5].
cylinder production. This means that the data comes di- Most computer to screen systems work using the ink
rectly from the computer and not from a scanned ana- jet technology, in which either heated wax or ink is ap-
log copy (bromide), (see fig. 1.3-14). Thus computer to plied to the screen.
Fig. 4.3-15
Computer to cylinder for gravure cylinder
stylus engraving (HelioKlischograph K406,
HELL Gravure Systems)
The shortest stencil production method is the direct

exposure of the emulsion-coated screen by laser beam.
The laser beam destroys the emulsion in the image area.
The emulsion is cured on the non-printing areas (UV
light). This method is only suitable for metal mesh and
not for the customary polyester mesh. It is only used in
exceptional cases, mainly in textile and tile printing.
4.3.6 Computer to Plate Workflow

Fig. 4.3-16
Computer to screen system for imaging with ink jet (mini-JetScreen, The digitization of the workflow entailed by the intro-
Lüscher) duction of computer to plate necessitates adaptation and
possibly a complete conversion of previous workflows.
These changes present both a technical and an organiza-
First the screen must be lined with a closed layer/ tional challenge (see also [4.3-6]). The required employ-
emulsion (stencil material). The print image is ap- ee qualification profile changes considerably: The com-
plied to this coating using ink jet ink (as a film sub- puter to plate system operator must have understanding
stitute). This is then followed by the usual exposure and experience of computer processing. Literature is
to cure the stencil material. The uncured ink-covered available (e.g., [4.3-7]) with “Instructions on Courses of
areas of the coating are then washed off with water. Action” for the selection of technology, the training of
After drying, the stencil/screen plate is ready for employees and the organizational structuring in which
printing. Addressability is about 600 dpi (systems the latter occupies the most space. In fact the reorgani-
with 1000 dpi are being developed). In large format zation of work content, interfaces, and responsibilities
applications (e.g., 2 m ¥ 3 m, which is now about the must not be underestimated. The successful conversion
maximum format for computer to screen) a resolu- of a company from a conventional to a digital workflow
tion of 150 dpi usually suffices, with screen ruling of is a process that may quite possibly take some years.
18 to 20 lines per cm becoming possible. An example The most common workflow is shown in figure 4.3-17.
of an ink jet-based computer to screen system is This assumes that there is a printshop that receives dig-
shown in figure 4.3-16. itally printing data from outside and first of all checks
Fig. 4.3-17 11 10 7 . 6
Workflow with computer to plate
RIP Proofer
2 15 14 3
Preflight Imposition Proof
RIP
Digital
data
Punching
Plate
imagesetter
Plate pile
11 10 7 . 6
Plate 2 15 14 3
Processor checking
Printing plate
(plate developing)
it for completeness, correctness, and printability in the Not to be ignored is the quality control of the finished
so-called “preflight check.” After imposition, the entire plate, irrespective of whether this is done automatical-
sheet, now available as a PostScript data file for exam- ly or visually by an employee. For example, the Krause
ple, is usually sent to the raster image processor (RIP) company supplies a so-called “Plate-checker,” a camera
for transforming into the bitmaps to be used. system that simulates the expected print image of the
There are very varied data processing concepts (see al- four plates on the monitor and makes possible inspec-
so secs. 3.2.5 and 3.2.6). For example, in some configura- tion by the operator.
tions, imposition is not done until after the raster image There are devices for plate handling with varying de-
processor (RIP), and hence on the basis of bitmap pages. grees of automation, such as those in which the plates
There are also various solutions for transferring have to be inserted in the safelight and removed from
bitmap data from the RIP to the plate imagesetter. In the plate imagesetter individually, and at the other ex-
many CtP systems the imaging unit is directly con- treme those that grip the individual printing plate from
nected to the RIP. There is no intermediate storage for the light-proof magazine automatically, remove the
the bitmaps, but the data is transferred directly “on the separating paper, and, after exposure, pass the plate in-
fly” from the raster image processor (RIP) to the imag- line to plate developing. Many devices with “autoload-
ing head. In other configurations the imaging data ing” operate from several cassettes, in which various
(bitmaps) generated in the RIP is first stored on hard plate formats, models (e.g., aluminum plates and poly-
disk in a buffer memory. ester printing plates) or films can be loaded. The “Plate-
In figure 4.3-17 the digital data flow is indicated by setter 3244” system, for example, (fig. 4.3-18), can be
blue arrows, while black arrows are used to indicate the loaded with aluminum plates in one cassette and with
route that the plate takes. polyester printing plates in the other. After leaving the
Plate feeding
(carriage)
Plate
processor
Plate supply
carriage
(magazine/cassette)
Diverter
Imaging drum
Imaging head
Fig. 4.3-18 Diagram of a fully automated computer to plate system (Platesetter 3244, Heidelberg/Creo)
platesetter, a diverter routes the plates into the corre- exposure errors originating from software and hard-
sponding plate processor (plate development). ware defects must be detected: partially mixed-up col-
or separation, sometimes missing images or areas of
4.3.7 Rise in Quality as a Result of text, incorrect photographs, and so on. Such errors can
often be neither explained nor reproduced. Experience
Computer to Plate shows that their frequency is between 1 and 5%. Care-
In principle, computer to plate offers potential for sub- ful inspection of the plates by means of imposition
stantial improvement in print quality. The print image sheets or digital proofs is important, so that these er-
quality attainable with computer to plate is affected by rors are detected before printing. The calibration of
all components of the entire production line. Users the production line must also be monitored, particu-
agree unanimously that the plate imagesetter, the cen- larly the plate imagesetter, using an imaged control
tral unit in the production line, is the most stable and wedge.
reliable component with regard to print quality. The One example here is the digital plate control wedge
halftone screen and the quality of the raster image shown in figure 4.3-19 [4.3-8]. It has several control
processor (RIP) are the rather more decisive factors for patches with various functions, which make possible
printing quality in prepress. Chemical plate developing visual inspection of the plate with the naked eye or us-
after imaging represents another operation that brings ing a densitometer and/or a magnifying glass. If a con-
a certain measure of uncertainty to the process. There trol wedge is used, it is inserted in the document to be
are numerous parameters, like the chemical composi- output and sent to the output system together with the
tion of the baths, their cleanliness and temperature in page and sheet parameters. It can be used to find the
particular, that have to be kept constant within narrow causes of loss of quality in the output due to changed
limits for a reproducible result to be achieved. parameters. The densitometer measurement on the
Essentially, computer to plate supplies plates that are printing plate supplies relative measured values that
very good in terms of accuracy of register and in all cas- are suitable for day-to-day production control.
es better than plates exposed from fully imposed films Stable plate developing is only possible within a nar-
(computer to film), because film material is not as di- row tolerance field of temperature and chemical com-
mensionally stable as aluminum. If aluminum plates position of the developing bath. Deviations from the de-
are used in conjunction with automatic plate clamping sired values detract from plate quality, for instance, by
devices in the printing press, register control is scarce- the individual halftone dots becoming sharper or gain-
ly necessary. Moreover, in computer to plate, the plate ing dot size. With polyester-based printing plates (see sec.
exposure operation with its possibilities of error (e.g., 4.3.9) there are limitations on the quality of register ac-
undercutting) is completely unnecessary. However, curacy. The poor stiffness of the material, especially in
dust on the plate cannot be ruled out in computer to larger formats, has a somewhat negative effect here.
plate and can prove to be a reason for waste sheets. Print quality can likewise be substantially increased in
Quality assurance and control of the finished plate is flexographic printing (see sec. 2.3.3) by means of com-
necessary even with computer to plate. The occasional puter to plate systems, because the raised image has a
Information field
FOGRA Forschungsgesellschaft Druck e.V. FHT040599 Nessie
Raster: 23.622 L/cm Winkel: 45.0 Grad PostScript Level 1 Ugra/FOGRA DIGITAL PLATE WEDGE V2.2 Black - Copyright 1998 0 2 3 5 10 20 30 40 50
RAM-Memory: 383 KByte Frei: 234 KByte PostScript V. 47.0 35 % VRS1 40 % VRS2 45 % VRS3 50 % VRS4 55 % VRS5 60 % VRS6 65 % VRS7 70 % VRS8 75 % VRS9 80 % VRS10 85 % VRS11
Resolution:300 DPI / 85 my
1x1 2x2 4x4
150 300 600 1200 1200 600 300 150 100 98 97 95 90 80 70 60 50
Resolution field Square fields Visual reference Halftone wedge

(Setting the intensity (optimal focusing stages (VRS) (measuring the tone value transfer
and focus) of the imaging system) (for check-ups characteristic curves)
Geometrical during production)
diagnosis fields
Fig. 4.3-19 Digital plate control wedge (Ugra/FOGRA)
stiffer basic structure (see figs. 2.3-8 and 4.3-29). As a re- erator. In some high-output installations, the comput-
sult of this, the much greater dot gain that is specific to er to plate system is run for two shifts with staff and for
flexographic printing can be markedly reduced using the third shift without staff. An example of such a high-
CtP. Moreover, the print results distinguish themselves ly automated system is shown in figure 4.3-18.
by better differentiation and smoother tonal gradations. Commercial and book printing on the one hand and
The screen frequency can be increased to 60 lines/cm (a newspaper printing on the other put quite different re-
resolution of 1200 dpi is possible) and more. The simul- quirements on platemaking productivity. In newspa-
taneous use of thin-plate technology and UV inks can per printing a large number of plates have to be made
contribute to a further increase in quality. within a few hours. The quality requirements are low-
er than in commercial printing. Newspaper printing
4.3.8 Productivity and Economic plates are imaged with lower addressability, usually in
a range between 800 and 1400 dpi. This leads to rela-
Efficiency tively short imaging time. Some CtP systems achieve
Automation and the associated chances of reducing productivity of more than 100 plates an hour (see table
time and cost constitute a central aspect in favor of the 4.3-6). In the commercial sector an even workload
introduction of computer to plate technology [4.3-9]. throughout the day or a shift is more likely. In this case,
The effects in the printing room are a fundamental fac- the usual figure for plates is at least 10 per hour. Some
tor in this. The printing press makeready times can be systems even achieve a throughput of 20 to 30 plates an
greately reduced with the introduction of CtP. hour. In practice about 200 plates a day are currently
The greatest time-saving potential with computer to being made on plate imagesetters in the format of
plate lies in prepress, that is to say in digital imposition. 70 ¥ 100 cm2 (in two or three-shift operation).
The potentially very time-consuming assembly of the To increase productivity there are even designs for
films for imaging the printing plates is no longer nec- combining several plate imagesetters. For example, at
essary (see sec. 3.2.5). Users of computer to plate sys- DRUPA 95 Presstek displayed a duplex CtP system, in
tems report that up to three times more plate output which the two imaging drums are arranged alongside
can be achieved than with conventional assembly and each other, controlled by a common computer, the
platemaking. raster image processor (RIP), and the server, but can be
Productivity, that is, the number of printing plates imaged independently of each other (fig. 4.3-20).
produced per unit of time, is determined by the entire
processing time and by whether the individual process-
es occur simultaneously or overlap, for example, de-
veloping of the first plate in the processor and simul-
taneous imaging of the next plate in the imaging unit.
The exposure and imaging time within the comput-
er to plate system is a central factor in productivity.
Imaging time increases with addressability and/or res-
olution. The shortest imaging times for a 70 cm ¥ 100 cm
plate at 1200 dpi are less than two minutes.
The duration of the entire platemaking cycle is also
an important parameter for estimating how quickly a
replacement plate can be made up for a plate that has
been damaged in the printing press. All stages of work
must be taken into account, from removal of the plate
from the cassette (taking off the intermediate layer of
paper, if necessary) through mounting the plate in the
imaging unit, to transportation to the plate processor
(after imaging) and chemical developing.
Some computer to plate systems may be so highly au- Fig. 4.3-20
tomated, that with an adequate supply of data and Computer to plate system with two imaging units, external drum de-
plates they can operate throughout a shift with no op- sign (Pearlsetter Plus, Presstek)
In both prepress and press makeready time, comput- Exposure (writing the image)
er to plate generates higher productivity, combined with
a great saving on cost. The shorter production time, the
accuracy in register of printing plates, and the automat- Protective layer
ic ink key presetting come into their own, especially if
digital prepress data are used for the ink key presetting. Imaging Photopolymer coating
The CIP3 Consortium has agreed on a data exchange Aluminum
Base
format for transfer of data from prepress to the press
control system (see sec. 8.2.3; also figs. 4.1-11 and 4.1-12).
Since the trend in the printing industry is towards
ever shorter run lengths, the advantages mentioned fa-
vor the development potential of this technology and Development 80 4C to 130 4C
therefore lead to the assumption that there will be even
wider use of CtP in the future. Cross-linking
Preheating
4.3.9 Printing Plates for Digital Imaging

Ink accepting
Special plates have had to be developed to use com- Removal of the
protective layer,
puter to plate for offset and flexographic printing; they development,
are described in the following sections. gumming Water accepting
For gravure cylinders, on the other hand, there have
been no changes to the printing plate, as long as en- Fig. 4.3-21
graving is done mechanically with digitally controlled The imaging and developing of printing plates by photopolymeriza-
styluses. However, laser engraving requires a material tion (imaging results in ink-accepting areas; negative-working plate)
that can absorb the laser beam’s energy well. For this
application zinc is used instead of copper (sec. 4.3.4).
The usual polyester mesh can in most cases be used
for stencils for screen printing, and only the coating ma- mer plates. Exposure in accordance with the image,
terial had to be adapted to the requirements of an im- causing a cross-linking of the photopolymer (poly-
age application using ink jet or laser imaging. New inks merization), occurs in the areas that are ink-receptive
and waxes have been specially developed for this. later in printing, because the cross-linked polymer is
ink-accepting (oleophilic). This type of plate has been
Electrophotographic CtP Plates called negative working, by analogy with plate expo-
Electrophotography (see sec. 5.2) is used for the pro- sure using negative film, in which the areas of the plate
duction of offset printing plates with organic photo- that are later ink-receptive are also exposed. The letter
conductor coating. OPC is the oldest technology in CtP N in “N90” is also derived from this.
development. Back in the 1980s this technology was al- Figure 4.3-22 shows the imaging and developing of
so beginning to be used digitally through laser imag- aluminum plates with silver halide coating. Silver-
ing. The plates for the newspaper sector were produced halide-coated printing plates have a considerably high-
by the company Polychrome. However, the technology er sensitivity to light than photopolymer-coated plates.
did not gain general acceptance. Both types of plates are also available from other sup-
pliers by now. Because of their high sensitivity to light,
Aluminum-based Printing Plates silver halide plates such as “Lithostar”(Agfa) can also be
After DRUPA 90 there were initially only two plates on exposed via films in a copy frame. Unlike the imaging
the market suitable for digital imaging for offset print- described earlier, non-image areas (hydrophilic) are ex-
ing: the “Ozasol N 90” from Hoechst Kalle (now Agfa) posed (as in fig. 4.3-22); by analogy with platemaking
with a photopolymer image layer and the “Silverlith” via film it is now a matter of “positive-working plate.”
from DuPont with a silver halide image layer. Figure As a development of the conventional offset printing
4.3-21 shows the imaging and developing of photopoly- plate,a third type of plate was introduced by Polychrome
in 1993–the CTX sandwich plate. It can be exposed di-

Exposure rectly with CtP systems. In principle this new type of
(writing the non-image areas) plate consists of two coatings on the aluminum base ma-
terial, namely a silver halide coating with a convention-
al diazo coating beneath it (silver hybrid, fig. 4.3-23). The
Silver halide emulsion silver halide coating is exposed in the areas that are lat-
Imaging er ink-accepting and is then used virtually as a mask
Nucleus layer (with positive image) or film for subsequent conven-
Aluminum tional floodlighting with UV light of the diazo layer un-
Base
derneath.
Table 4.3-8 gives a selection of available plates. Table
4.3-9 shows the advantages and disadvantages of the
Development plate technologies described in an overview, and also
Silver diffused into
the nucleus layer
compared to the second generation of CtP plates, the
Fixing thermal-sensitive plates described below.
Thermal-sensitive Aluminum Plates

Thermal-sensitive plates were first introduced at
Ink accepting DRUPA 95. They react not to visible light but to thermal
Wash up of the
silver mask, radiation. They have a distinctive threshold characteris-
complexing of Water accepting tic during imaging: as soon as the thermal energy goes
the nucleus layer over a certain threshold during imaging, the surface
changes completely, and any further increase in energy
remains of insignificant effect with regard to dot quali-
Fig. 4.3-22 ty. The danger of under or overexposure does not exist.
The imaging and developing of printing plates (aluminum-based) by The beam profile of the light source (laser) is also im-
diffusion transfer (imaging results in ink-repelling areas; positive- portant in connection with thermal plates. In addition
working plate)
to “Gaussian intensity profiles,” as being typical for
Processor module 1
Exposure of film
layer in accordance
with the image Flood exposure
Processing Fixing Rinsing
Film layer of film layer of mask
(silver halide)
Diazo
positive layer Aluminum
Base
Processor module 2
Conventional Rinsing Gumming

plate development
Fig. 4.3-23 The imaging and developing of multi-layer printing plates (sandwich plates), for example, Polychrome CTX plates
many lasers there are also intensity profiles with steep- ly after imaging. This so-called “preheating” process is
er edges (e.g., imaging via light valves as, for example, followed by aqueous/alkaline developing. Figure 4.3-25a
implemented in the Heidelberg/Creo “Trendsetter” shows the imaging and developing of polymerizing
and elsewhere). Steeper edges produce a dot size with plates. The contrasting process, namely thermal de-
less fluctuation, which can occur as a function of the composition, is shown in figure 4.3-25b. There are oth-
plate material (sensitivity, i.e., the threshold level) and er differences in the detail of the individual products
light source (fluctuation in intensity). Figure 4.3-24 (table 4.3-10); particularly with respect to the Agfa
shows the principle, which is also applicable in a gen- “Thermostar” we would like to refer to [4.3-10], which
eralized way to non-thermal exposure processes. gives a detailed overview of this and other types of ther-
Thermal-sensitive plates do not need a safelight be- mal-sensitive plates. A good collection of microphotos
cause they are essentially insensitive to visible light. of various plate surfaces is available in [4.3-11].
Among the first CtP plates of this type is Kodak’s
“Digital Plate/IR,” which has a thermal-sensitive poly-
mer coating. This coating is heated locally during im- Gaussian intensity Intensity profile with
aging, in the course of which cross-linking is initiated. profile (typical for steep edge (e.g., beam
Complete cross-linking is accomplished by heating the laser beams) forming via light valve)
entire plate to temperatures of about 125°C immediate-
Sensitivity of
plate A/plate B
Technology Products
Photopolymer Agfa: Ozasol N 90 A

Fujifilm: LPA, LPY, Brillia LP-II
Mitsubishi Chemicals: Diamond Plate
Silver halide Agfa: Lithostar, Silverlith (formerly DuPont) Fluctuation Location
Mitsubishi Paper Mills: width Pixel on
SilverDigitalPlate SDP plate A
Silver hybrid Kodak Polychrome Graphics: CTX Pixel on

(sandwich plate: (in various variants for the different plate B
silver film, types of laser)
beneath Diazo) Fig. 4.3-24
The edge steepness in the intensity characteristic of the light beam
Table 4.3-8 affects pixel sizes on the printing plate: steeper edges (on the right),
Aluminum-based CtP plates with sensitivity in the visible range for example, using light valves, produce less fluctuation in the pix-
(wavelength 488 to 670 nm); (selection, status: 1999) el diameter in the event of different sensitivities of plates A and B
Table 4.3-9 Technology Advantages Disadvantages

Advantages and disadvantages of the com-
mon aluminum-based CtP plates Silver halide Very high resolution, Waste containing silver,
Analog or digital imaging, Requires safelight
Low laser power required environment
Photopolymer Conventional development Requires safelight
environment
Hybrid (containing Plate behaves like a Multistage development
silver halide + Diazo) conventional plate during Requires safelight
the printing process, environment
Low laser power required
Thermal Steep threshold characteristic, High laser power
Well defined dots, required
Insensitive to daylight
Fig. 4.3-25
Technologies for thermal-sensitive plates Thermal sensi-
with polymer coating for offset printing. Thermal Thermal tive ink-accepting
a Polymerization (cross-linking); laser beams laser beams polymer (protec-
Imaging tive layer for
b Thermal decomposition
chemical
processing)
Polymer
Aluminum Ink-accepting
Aluminum polymer
Processing
Preheating
(radiation)
Aluminum
(1204C to 1304C necessary

for sufficient cross-linking)
Ink
Ink Water Water accepting
accepting accepting accepting
Alkaline Alkaline
processing processing
a b
Figure 4.3-26 shows technologies for the thermally ab- ver-containing) particles during imaging, no other sep-
lative imaging of CtP plates.Ablation means that the top arate cleaning operation is necessary. Unlike Presstek’s
layer of the plate being developed is removed under the “Pearl”plates, in this case those areas of the plate that are
effect of heat energy. Relatively high energy densities water-accepting during printing are irradiated by laser,
(approximately 500–1000 mJ/cm2) are necessary for so that the hydrophilic aluminum substrate is disclosed.
thermal plates working on the principle of ablation. For thermal-sensitive plates there is a trend towards
Presstek first introduced plates using this method in processless plates, which no longer need chemical or
1993, initially for waterless offset. The “Pearldry” plate “wet” developing. However, as long as ablation is the
has an oleophobic (ink-repellent) silicone coating on applied method (which means that particles are re-
the surface, which is removed in the image areas by the moved from the surface) cleaning the plates is neces-
thermal energy of the laser beam, so that the underly- sary. Cleaning may possibly even be done in the print-
ing surface of the ink-accepting plate coating is exposed ing press, if the plate has been mounted and imaged on
(see also figs. 4.4-6 and 4.4-9). This plate is obtainable the plate cylinder. Wiping off can be done by dampen-
both with an aluminum and a polyester base. ing rollers. This process is called On Press Development
Presstek has also developed digital plates for conven- (OPD) and is also familiar from analog plates, such as
tional wet offset (“Pearlwet”). Already on the market is the Polaroid “DryTech Express.”
the second generation, the “Pearlgold,” in which only a Figure 4.3-27 shows a technology introduced by Po-
very thin layer is removed in accordance with the image. laroid in 1995 under the name “Laser Ablation Transfer”
The principle demonstrated in figure 4.3-26b is used (LAT).A donor film is mounted firmly on the aluminum
in the plate developed by DuPont “SDT” (Silver Dry plate. Ink-accepting polymers are transferred in accor-
Thermal). It has an ink-accepting coating containing sil- dance with the image from this donor film onto the
ver.With adequate removal by suction of the ablated (sil- plate. Incidentally, digital color screen proofs (true
Fig. 4.3-26 Imaging

Ablative imaging technologies for offset
printing plates (the absorbers for the ther-
Thermal Thermal Removal
mal laser radiation are embedded in the top
laser beams laser beams by suction
layer or in a layer beneath it, not shown Water-accepting
of ablated
here, depending on the plate technology layer (or ink
debris
used). repelling silicone
a Cleaning after imaging; layer with
b Cleaning by suction during the imaging waterless offset)
process Aluminum Aluminum
Base
Removal of
ablated
debris Mechanical wiping
or wash up with
liquid cleaner
Ink accepting Water accepting Water Ink

(or ink repelling) accepting accepting
a b
proofs) can also be produced using this technology, procedures (see sec. 5.2). Paper print masters are main-
where colorants are transferred from the donor film ly used for short print runs, in the production of sin-
(one color per film) to the production (job) paper, as ex- gle-color printed matter with low quality require-
plained in section 3.2.11 (see fig. 3.2-77). Table 4.3-10 gives ments. They are also used in printing with spot colors.
an overview of thermal-sensitive plate technologies. They are limited in format to a maximum A3.
It must be expected that in the years ahead some plate Polyester-based plates are also available for computer
manufacturers will offer completely processless plates, in to plate (table 4.3-11). For high print quality, there are al-
which material will not be removed by ablation, but so polyester plates that work on the diffusion transfer
rather, surface wettability characteristics will be principle. The Japanese company, Mitsubishi Paper
changed in accordance with the image. Processless Mills,introduced them as a new product under the name
plates are incorporated into table 4.3-10 with “Change of “Silver Digiplate” in 1985. Because of the relatively low
of the surface property” and “Ablation transfer,” and energy requirement, this plate can be imaged using com-
technological differentiation is made. puter to film systems. Figure 4.3-28 shows the structure
and function of this material, which is now widely used.
Paper and Polyester Printing Plates for Offset Printing Unlike aluminum-based silver plates (fig. 4.3-22), the
The first signs of computer to plate appeared in the ear- nucleus layer is on the surface. The developing agents are
ly 1980s, but not under that name. Paper print masters already embedded in the silver halide layer beneath it.
were used for this, that is,“printing plates,”the base ma- During developing the silver halides exposed by light be-
terial of which is special paper. Paper print masters of come black. The unexposed silver halides diffuse in the
this type are imaged by means of electrophotographic nucleus layer, are fixed, and accept ink.
Technology Products Remarks
Polymerization Image areas (ink accepting) are exposed during the imaging process.
Kodak Polychrome Graphics:
– Digital Plate/IR (Kodak) Requires preheating, also suitable for UV exposure
– Quantum 830 Requires preheating, no protective light needed
Fujifilm: Brillia LH-N LH-N with preheating and baking for long run lengths
Thermal decomposition Non-image areas are exposed during the imaging process;
conventional alkaline development
Agfa: Thermostar
Kodak Polychrome Graphics:
– Electra DC Electra DC originally from Horsell-Anitec; no preheating required
– Quantum NPP NPP: No Process Positive, the decomposed layer is washed off
by the dampening unit of the printing press (concept by Polaroid)
Fujifilm: Brillia LH-P LH-P without preheating, without baking, also for UV inks
Mitsubishi Chemicals:
DiamondPlate LT-1
Lastra: Extrema 830
Ablation Presstek: With Presstek plates, the image areas are exposed.
– Pearldry Pearldry for waterless offset (aluminum and polyester-based).
– Pearlgold Pearlgold is the successor plate for Pearlwet.
– Anthem Market launch in 2000
Agfa: Silver Dry Thermal (SDT) With Silver Dry Thermal (SDT, originally from DuPont) non-image
areas are exposed and the ablated debris (containing silver) is
exhausted during the imaging process.
Anocoil: T-Plate The ablated debris is washed off with water in a
separate module
Ablation transfer Polaroid: Transfer of ink-accepting material from the donor film to the aluminum
Laser Ablation Transfer (LAT) plate (material deposition). Burning in is required for anchoring.
(Presented as a concept by Polaroid in 1995)
Physical phase Heidelberg: Ink-accepting areas are created by melting/fusing thermoplastic parti-
change Saphira Thermoplate PL cles of the coated plate. Water-accepting areas emerge in the non-
Agfa: exposed areas (the dampening solution activates non-fused material,
Thermolite (announced) which is taken away by the ink). Particularly suitable for direct
imaging applications
Change of the Various manufacturers have development projects for plates which
surface property change their surface property directly to the desired manner under
thermal radiation (no follow-on development, therefore processless).
The term “switchable polymers” originates from a patent document
from Creo (see also sec. 4.4.2 and fig. 4.4-23).
Asahi: Thermal CTP Microcapsules within the coating substance burst under thermal
(through micro capsules) radiation and release ink-accepting particles, that is ink-acceptance of
imaged areas; no development stage required (presented by Asahi
as a technology study at IGAS 1997 and announced for launch
on the market since IPEX 98, see also fig. 4.4-18).
Table 4.3-10 Technologies for thermal-sensitive aluminum-based CtP printing plates (wavelength 750 to 1200 nm)
Imaging Laser beams

The use of these “instant printing plates” does not re-
Donor film quire great investment because they can be imaged
Carrier with normal film imagesetters. Only the chemistry in
(transparent) the developer has to be changed. The plate is developed
Ink-accepting in a two-bath process consisting of activator and stabi-
Aluminum polymer lizer. These plates are normally used in the small for-
mat range (A4 and A3), also for multicolor printing.
Some printing companies also use these plates for larg-
er formats in four colors. Most printing companies for
producing large-format print jobs only use these plates
Peeling off the
donor film for single-color printing, for example, in book print-
ing. Polyester printing plates are available as reels or
sheets.
Plates for Flexographic Printing

Digital imageable plates for flexographic printing can
be divided into photopolymer plates and rubber plates.
Photopolymer plates give better print results than rub-
Ink accepting Water accepting ber plates because they are more stable and they can al-
Burning in
so be used for printing fine screens. Figure 4.3-29 shows
(for fixing the ink how “sharp” the halftone dots can be on a plate, using
accepting layer) the example of a “digiflex” plate from BASF. For print-
ing and stability reasons, the screen dot diameter
should not be less than 25 µm. With rubber plates the
Fig. 4.3-27 non-image areas can be engraved directly by laser.
The principle of ablation transfer (LAT Laser Ablation Transfer) for Photopolymer plates can only be imaged by laser
the imaging of offset printing plates (Polaroid)
and not engraved (fig. 4.3-30). For this purpose they
receive a black, thermal-sensitive coating. The laser
beam causes ablation of the black layer in accordance
with the image; the remaining part of this layer forms
Exposure
a mask for the subsequent main exposure of the pho-
topolymer coating in the UV floodlight. This main ex-
Nucleus layer posure triggers the photopolymerization process; the
Imaging
Silver halide emulsion corresponding areas cure. The plate is then washed off
Polyester (or paper) by the conventional chemical method, dried, post-ex-
posed and post-processed (fig. 4.3-30). This laser im-
aging technology can be used not only for flexograph-
ic plates, but also for letterpress, gravure, and offset
Developing Water accepting printing.
In 1997 a new technology was introduced in coopera-
Silver diffused into
the nucleus layer, tion between BASF Drucksysteme, Schepers Druck-
Fixing
ink accepting formtechnik, Saueressig, and AKL Warburg under the
name of “Direct to Sleeve” (brand name “digisleeve”).
Sleeve in this case means a sleeve-shaped carrier for
the actual printing plate, which wraps completely round
Fig. 4.3-28 the sleeve and is joined together at the seam. Sleeve and
The imaging and developing of polyester-based printing plate plate then form a sleeve-shaped unit. More than 90%
using the diffusion transfer method of flexographic print runs are now printed using plates
(Silver Digiplate, Mitsubishi Paper Mills) mounted on cylinders or sleeves. Only individual areas
of continuous decoration printing, such as wallpapers
Technology Product Manufacturer Max. screen ruling and Remarks

life cycle
(printed sheets)
Imaging with high quality in small formats, after imaging

film imagesetter, medium quality for the medium two-bath processing:
silver copy layer format range 1. Activator,
2. Stabilizer
Red light diodes SetPrint Plus Agfa 70 lines/cm

or IR diodes 20 000
Variants for Silver Digiplate Mitsubishi 70 lines/cm

all wave lengths Paper Mills 25 000
Goldmaster Fujifilm 70 lines/cm

20 000 Not available in Europe
Imaging with for small print volumes, single- special fixing unit with
electrophotography color and decorative (spot) colors higher temperature improves
(powder toner) fixing and print run stability
LaserLink LLP Agfa 15 000 Since 1998 on the market

Omega Plate Autotype
ParagonPlate LaserMaster
NovaDom TechNova 3000
Kimoplate Kimoto
Plazerplate Plazer 15 000
Policel PolicromScreens Sandwich plate
(paper/polyester)
Table 4.3-11 Polyester plates for computer to plate
or floor-coverings, require seamless sleeves, as shown in 4.3.10 Trends in Computer to Plate

figure 4.3-31 (see also sec. 2.3.3, fig. 2.3-10).
During production of this type of plate-bearing On the one hand, the current wide range of computer
sleeve, the plate with pre-exposed reverse side is firstly to plate systems and plates makes many potential cus-
stuck onto the base (sleeve), the sleeve is then imaged in tomers insecure, but on the other hand, the variety of
the computer to plate system. There is also the option available technologies enables an operation-specific
of seamlessly fusing the plate, which is not yet blackened introduction to computer to plate.
but already pre-exposed on the reverse side of the sleeve. The question of how and with what specifications a
This is then followed first by surface treatment and ap- digital proof can be produced has still not yet been sat-
plication of the laser-sensitive black coating and always isfactorily answered for many people. Since with com-
(after imaging) by all-round exposure as well as all- puter to plate there are no films from which analog
round removal of the black coating, and then by the proofs can be made, the “proof ” topic is highly debat-
usual measures such as all-round washing, drying, post- able. The possibilities and areas of application of digi-
exposure, and after-treatment in variable fixtures. tal proof technology are summarized in section 3.2.11.
Which sleeve technology for endless printing will Users understandably demand that the same raster im-
prevail is still an open question. On the other hand it is age processor (RIP) should be used both for the digi-
certain that sleeve technology in general will be used tal proof and for plate exposure in order to avoid dif-
more and more, because seamless sleeves save long as- ferent interpretations of the PostScript format, and
sembly work and produce very high register accuracy. above all to create proofs which match the later pro-
Fig. 4.3-29 Fig. 4.3-31 Sleeve (seamless) for flexographic printing (BASF)
Microphoto of a section on a flexographic printing plate for printing
halftone dots (digiflex, BASF)
duction (Screen Proof, True Proof). There are various

Thermal
laser beams
designs for this purpose, which are dealt with in detail
in section 3.2. The combining of RIPs for digital proof
and plate imaging is explained in diagrammatic form
Laser sensitive layer in figure 4.3-32 by the red line around both RIPs.
Imaging (ablation) The broken red line represents an even more far-
Photopolymer reaching concept, namely combining the output of dig-
ital proof and plate in a single device. This is perfectly fea-
Polyester substrate
sible technically, but it remains to be seen whether any
particular case is economical. This certainly makes it
possible to output a rasterized digital proof with iden-
UV main exposure for UV tical bitmaps just as it is imaged on the plates, but it must
curing (first reverse be anticipated that there will be a pass for each basic col-
side, then for imaging
front side) Mask or, so that producing the proof will become very time-
intensive. A device available on the market for the com-
bined outputting of plates and digital proofs is the
Cross-linked “Trendsetter Spectrum” (fig. 4.3-33, see also fig. 4.3-3).
(polymerized)
Another trend that can only be realized with thermal
plates is to avoid the chemical developing of the imaged
UV printing plates, indicated by the red arrow in fig-
Developing: ure 4.3-32. The first printing plates no longer needing
Rinsing, chemical developing were the “Pearldry” plates from
Ready washed-out plate
drying, Presstek for waterless offset printing. In this case only
post-exposure, a cleaning process is required after imaging, to wipe off
after-treating
the particles ablated from the plate surface. In the end,
though, the declared objective of numerous plate man-
Fig. 4.3-30 ufacturers is to develop and bring about the wide-
The imaging and developing of photopolymer plates for flexographic spread use of completely processless thermal plates. As
printing
long as printing plate technology is based on ablation,
this objective has not yet been fully accomplished. Oth-
er technologies such as “switchable polymers” are
therefore being tested (see also table 4.3-10).
Fig. 4.3-32
Trends in computer to plate: processless
printing plate, multi-purpose system for 11 10 7 . 6
plate imaging and proof, only one RIP RIP Proofer
2 15 14 3
Preflight Imposition
RIP Proof
one RIP
Plate
imagesetter
Plate pile
Multi-purpose 7 11 10 . 6
system
2 15 14 3
Processor Printing plate
Other alliances of manufacturers are emerging for

computer to plate and the variety currently available
will be reduced as a consequence. In 1998 the number
of computer to plate systems installed worldwide was
more than 2000; in the year 2000 the figure is risen to
more than 5000 installations (for comparison: at the
beginning of 1997 about 600 computer to plate sys-
tems had been installed). It is expected that in the
coming years more and more systems will be installed.
References in 4.3
[4.3-1] Limburg, M.: Der digitale Gutenberg – Alles, was Sie
über digitales Drucken wissen sollten. Edition PAGE.
Springer, Berlin 1997.
Limburg, M.: The essentials of computer to plate tech-
nology. GATF, Pittsburgh (PA) 1995.
[4.3-2] Eichler, H.J.; Eichler, J.: Laser – High-Tech mit
Licht. Springer, Berlin 1995.
Fig. 4.3-33 [4.3-3] Adeshina, T.: Computer to Plate – eine wirtschaftli-
Multi-purpose system for plate imaging and for producing digital che Lösung für Zeitungen. ifra Special Report 2.24,
proofs (Trendsetter Spectrum, Heidelberg/Creo) Darmstadt 1998.
[4.3-4] Fuchs, B.; Janischewski, C., CTP-Symposium in
München: Die Praxis hat die Tauglichkeit bewiesen.
Zeitungstechnik (Monatszeitschrift der IFRA,
If chemical developing and cleaning of the imaged Darmstadt), Januar 1998.
[4.3-5] Geiß, H.: Digitale Druckvorstufe im Siebdruck.
plates are no longer necessary, a work cycle that pres- Hrsg.: Bundesverband Druck e.V., Abt. Technik +
ents problems as regards process reliability will be elim- Forschung, Wiesbaden 1998.
inated. There will also be savings on chemicals and [4.3-6] Stanton, A.P.: GATF Computer to Plate Studies.
energy. GATF-Report Nr. 1602, Pittsburgh (PA) 1996.
[4.3-7] König, A. u.a.: Integration Computer to [4.3-11] Hutton, P.; Lind, J.: The Plate Side of Computer to
Technologien, Hrsg.: Bundesverband Druck e.V., plate: Printability and Runnability. TAGA-Proceedings,
Wiesbaden 1997. Rochester (NY) 1998.
[4.3-8] Schmitt, U.: Ugra/FOGRA-Digital-Plattenkeil.
FOGRA Praxis Report 60, FOGRA, München 1998.
[4.3-9] Adams, R.M.; Romano, F.: Computer to Plate:
Further Reading for 4.3
Seydel, M.: Computer to Plate – Digital Workflow and
Automating the Printing Industry. GATF, Pittsburgh (PA)
Integration into Quality Offset Printing. TAGA-
1997.
Proceedings, Rochester (NY) 1996.
[4.3-10] Van Hunsel, J. et al.: Thermostar: A new Thermal
Litho Printing Plate Technology for CTP Recording.
TAGA-Proceedings, Rochester (NY) 1998.
627
4.4 Computer to Press/Direct Imaging
Introduction with a once imageable plate and the variant where the
In the last section computer to plate was described in- plates are re-imageable.
cluding numerous examples of the technology in use; Figure 4.4-2 is the technological comparison of these
in this case the plates were produced off-line, that is, computer to press/direct imaging technologies with
outside the press. In this chapter, however, technolo- conventional platemaking outside the press as well as
gies and systems are depicted in which the plate is pro- with computer to press/computer to print technolo-
duced in-line, that is, inside the press. The data for the gies where no plate is required.
print job is used to generate the printing plate via a It is evident from the illustration that with the increas-
direct imaging process with the appropriate imaging ing degree of automation some special additional equip-
system and plate materials. ment is necessary inside the printing unit. In the case of
A summary of the computer to ... technologies is direct imaging with the once usable plate, the imaging
shown in figure 4.4-1 with special emphasis on com- unit must be installed inside the press; if a technology
puter to press/direct imaging variants. Described is the comes into play where a plate can be used several times,
type where the plate is produced directly in the press then additional erasing and preparation systems are
Fig. 4.4-1 Computer to ... Technologies

Specifications for Digital full page (full sheet)
the output device PostScript
Data File Image, graphics, text, multicolor
Digital
proof RIP Raster Image Processor
Bitmap
Computer to Press
Computer Computer
to Film to Plate
Direct Imaging Computer to Print
Film (with master) (masterless)
imaging
Once imageable Re-imageable
Films master master
Plate Plate Imaging
exposure imaging Imaging
Plate Surface (print per directly with
Plates Plates imaging imaging print) ink (print
Inking Inking per print)
Printing Printing Printing
Printing
Print

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4.3 Computer to Plate/to Cylinder/to Screen

4.3.2.1 Design Principles Digital data

External Drum Design

Table 4.3-1 Internal drum External drum

4.3.2.2 Imaging Methods and Plate Punching

Digital data Laser Imaging

material to be exposed, especially as regards exposure

Model Company Plate size Imaging time Plate processing

Computer to Plate for Newspaper Printing

Model Company Plate size Imaging time Laser Market

Model Company Plate size Imaging time Laser Market

Galileo Agfa 1130 ¥ 820 2 min/1200 dpi Nd:YAG (1064nm), 1997

Model Company Plate size Imaging time Laser Market

Table 4.3-5 (Continued)

Model Company Plate size max. Laser Market

Ozasol LE 100 Agfa, Strobbe 900 ¥ 650 128 FD-YAG 1996

Model Company Plate material Plate size Remarks

Platinum 2218 HighWater Designs Aluminum 558 ¥ 460 Laser diode

are available for computer to plate in flexographic

• laser imaging of the mask (high quality),

The first computer to plate systems for flexographic

The shortest stencil production method is the direct

4.3.6 Computer to Plate Workflow

1x1 2x2 4x4

150 300 600 1200 1200 600 300 150 100 98 97 95 90 80 70 60 50

Resolution field Square fields Visual reference Halftone wedge

Fig. 4.3-19 Digital plate control wedge (Ugra/FOGRA)

4.3.9 Printing Plates for Digital Imaging

in 1993–the CTX sandwich plate. It can be exposed di-

Thermal-sensitive Aluminum Plates

Conventional Rinsing Gumming

Photopolymer Agfa: Ozasol N 90 A

Silver hybrid Kodak Polychrome Graphics: CTX Pixel on

Table 4.3-9 Technology Advantages Disadvantages

(1204C to 1304C necessary

Fig. 4.3-26 Imaging

Ink accepting Water accepting Water Ink

Technology Products Remarks

Imaging Laser beams

Plates for Flexographic Printing

Technology Product Manufacturer Max. screen ruling and Remarks

Imaging with high quality in small formats, after imaging

Red light diodes SetPrint Plus Agfa 70 lines/cm

Variants for Silver Digiplate Mitsubishi 70 lines/cm

Goldmaster Fujifilm 70 lines/cm

LaserLink LLP Agfa 15 000 Since 1998 on the market

Table 4.3-11 Polyester plates for computer to plate

or floor-coverings, require seamless sleeves, as shown in 4.3.10 Trends in Computer to Plate

duction (Screen Proof, True Proof). There are various

Other alliances of manufacturers are emerging for

4.4 Computer to Press/Direct Imaging

Fig. 4.4-1 Computer to ... Technologies

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