DPP2001: International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications

Multicolor Production Printing Using

Computer to Plate Technologies
Martin Schmitt-Lewen
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Heidelberg, Germany

Abstract Different printing plate technologies for computer to

plate and computer to press are discussed together with
Conventional printing technologies for high quality the respective imaging systems and applications.
printing, such as offset printing, require a printing plate Computer to press/direct imaging technology
as a master for each color to be printed. The production requires that plate materials be imaged and processed in
of these printing plates is done most efficiently in the printing press, as is the case with thermal plates.
computer to plate technologies either outside or inside Examples of the different computer to plate systems
the printing press. and computer to press/direct imaging systems are given.
This paper deals with and compares the different
types of computer to plate systems, namely internal Introduction
drum, external drum and flat-bed architectures. Recent
developments in imaging system design, such as As shown in fig. 1, computer to plate technology is one
multibeam lasers, are also taken into account. way of realizing digital printing. This paper the focuses
Those imaging technologies capable of imaging on lithography, i.e., offset printing.
printing plates within a press (computer to press) are also
reviewed, both for conventional and waterless offset
printing.

1
Figure 1. Digital printing technologies are based on the digital set-up of the page or sheet to be printed

61
 DPP2001: International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications

In Offset printing, plates are used. These plates

serve as masters for the image to be printed. In 4-color
printing, for example, four different plates are needed,
each representing a different color. In offset printing,
image reproduction is based on screening technologies.
Consequently, continuous tones can be reproduced as
halftones by area coverage of the respective screen cell
as shown in fig. 2.

1,2
Figure 3. Computer to plate in internal drum design

Figure 2. Screening technologies for creating halftones as

1,4,8
used in offset printing.

The demands on the quality of reproduction

determine the parameters of the imaging systems, such
as resolution or addressability. Another issue is speed,
which is determined by plate sensitivity, laser power,
4
number of imaging beams, etc.
Computer to plate imaging heads, as a module, are
also used in computer to press/direct imaging Figure 4. Example of multibeam imaging (for longer
4,5
systems. exposure time per pixel) for internal drum design (T-Wave,
Computer to plate technologies for platemaking in Gretag Imaging/Cymbolic Sciences).
4

lithographic printing are state-of-the-art and have

1,2,8
become widespread in the last five years. Different
design concepts exist for CtP systems and their External Drum Systems
respective imaging heads. In some respect these The design of an external drum CtP system is
concepts are closely related to plate technologies, shown in fig. 5. The optical system is located on the
which have to be adapted to the imaging system.
1,6 outside of the rotating drum. The drum together with
the plate revolves past the optical system, which
Design Principles in Computer to Plate records one line after another and is itself guided along
1,2,8
Technologies (CtP) the axis.
Figure 6 shows an example of a multibeam
Internal Drum Systems computer to plate system in an external drum design
Internal drum systems are characterized by a rigid with 230 thermal laser beams (830 nm). The
trough within which the plate is fixed by means of a Trendsetter 3244+, for example, has an addressability
vacuum. Imaging is done by a modulated laser beam of 2400 dpi. Imaging of an 8-page plate takes 5 min (at
that is directed to the plate surface via a rotating mirror 2400 dpi). Optionally, this systems can also be used for
(fig. 3). The laser scans the surface during the imaging proofing (screen/true proof, [1]).
process. In most cases one laser beam is used in Other multibeam CtP systems are, for example, the
internal drum systems, but in some newly announced Topsetter models (Heidelberg) with 32 thermal laser
systems multibeam imaging is also employed. An diodes (max. addressability 4000 dpi).
example of such a system able to image thermal plates
is shown in fig. 4. The design of internal drum systems
is not feasible for computer to press/direct imaging
presses.

62
 DPP2001: International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications

such light sources. These plates are, in the case of

negative-working plates, imaged in the ink-accepting
areas. To sufficiently crosslink the polymer, the plate is
heated after imaging before being chemically
processed (preheating). The aluminum surface of the
base material is water-receptive and represents the non-
image areas that are created (exposed) during the
development process. Other plate technologies for CtP
in the visible range, for example based on silver
1,4,810,11
diffusion, also exist.

1,2,8
Figure 5. Computer to plate in external drum design.

1,2,8
Figure 7. Computer to plate in flat-bed design.

Figure 6. Example of a computer to plate system; external

drum design (Trendsetter, Heidelberg/Creo)

Flat-Bed Systems
The design of a flat-bed CtP system is shown in
fig. 7. The printing plate is held flat on a level base
Figure 8. Light sources (selection) used in imaging systems,
during the imaging process. In the simplest and most 1,4
e.g., in computer to ... technologies.
commonly used example of imaging, the laser beam is
deflected line by line across the plate by a rotating
polygon mirror and by means of imaging and
correction optics. Infrared/thermal technology. Examples of lasers
emitting in the IR region are given in fig. 8. Plates used
Light Sources, Light Modulators, for thermal technology are sensitive in the infrared (IR)
Multibeam Systems, and range, e.g., 800...1100 nm. Thermal plates can
Plates for Digital Imaging therefore be handled in daylight. Thermal plates
require a higher area-related energy for imaging. For
Figure 8 shows different light sources used in imaging this reason, multibeam IR laser systems are preferred
systems for graphic arts applications, for example, in since they can most easily be realized in external drum
computer to plate systems. architectures (fig. 9). Different kinds of thermal-
Systems based on visible light, for example, make sensitive plates exist. They are characterized by
use of frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers (FD-YAG) thermally-induced polymerization, thermally-induced
10,11
emitting at 532 nm (green). Printing plates using decomposition, or ablation processes. There are also
photopolymers are one example of plates suitable for plates available for waterless offset.

63
 DPP2001: International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications

alternative technologies that have already been

announced by different manufacturers.

Systems for Computer to Press/Direct

Imaging
As already mentioned, external drum imaging systems
for computer to plate can be used for imaging in the
press (computer to press/direct imaging).
Figure 9. Applying spatial light modulators (light valve) for Examples of imaging systems using multibeam
1,4,6
multibeam imaging. lasers are shown in fig. 9 and fig. 11.
As shown in fig. 11, laser imaging can be done by
ablation. In this example, waterless offset is realized.
This means that a special type of plate is required with
an ink-repellent top coating of silicone. The laser
beams ablate the silicone and the exposed areas
1,5
become ink-accepting.

Figure 10. UV imaging using spatial light modulators (LCD)

for multibeam imaging in flat-bed systems (basysPrint)

An imaging system based on a UV light source

and an array of light valves, namely a LCD system, is
shown in fig. 10. Instead of the LCD light modulator a
1,4,6
Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) can be used.
The plates exposed are the conventional UV sensitive
ones.
Blue-violet lasers emitting at around 405 nm have
recently become available (e.g., due to DVD
technology in consumer devices). Single-beam laser
diodes of this type can be used in internal drum
systems (cf. fig. 3). As opposed to other plates, that are
sensitive to visible light, blue-violet sensitive plates for
these systems require yellow safe light but do not
require a darkroom, which is one advantage of this
technology. Highly sensitive plates of the silverhalide Figure 11. Multibeam imaging head for direct imaging;max.
1,4,5,8
(diffusion) and photopolymer type are the two addressability 2540 dpi (Heidelberg/Presstek).

64
 DPP2001: International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications

Examples of presses using multibeam laser

imaging are the Quickmaster DI (fig. 12), 74 Karat
3
(fig. 13), and Speedmaster 74 DI (figs. 14, 15). A
comprehensive description of many computer to press
systems is given in Ref. 1.
A prerequisite for direct imaging is that the plates
be imaged and processed in the press. The imaging
system shown in fig. 11 meets this demand. The plate
is cleaned after imaging, and the ablated silicone
particles can be wiped away.
The 74 Karat press shown in fig. 13 uses basically
the same kind of top coating for waterless offset
printing as shown in fig. 11, but on an aluminum
substrate. Figure 13. Computer to press/direct imaging system (74
1
The A2-size Speedmaster 74-DI press shown in Karat, KBA/Scitex; not confirmed).
fig. 14 and fig. 15 is an example of a computer to press
for conventional offset printing.
Computer to press/direct imaging using rewritable
1,5
surfaces has been discussed the past few years. MAN
Roland launched the DICOweb at DRUPA 2000.

Figure 12. Computer to press/direct imaging system Figure 14. Computer to press/direct imaging system; cf. fig.
(Quickmaster DI, Heidelberg) 15 (Speedmaster 74 DI, Heidelberg)

Figure 15. Computer to press/direct imaging system; cf. fig. 14 (Speedmaster 74 DI, Heidelberg)

Conclusion help internal drum computer to plate systems in

regaining ground.
A selection of current technologies based on computer Most of today’s computer to plate systems make
to plate imaging systems has been discussed. use of external drum multibeam architectures that are
Internal drum systems are starting to enjoy also suitable for direct imaging applications (computer
somewhat of a resurgence due to newly developed to press) and thermal plate technologies.
multibeam solutions for thermal plates.
Blue-violet single-beam laser diodes could also

65
 DPP2001: International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications

References Technologies (Proceedings). The Society for Imaging

Science and Technology (IS&T), Springfield (VA) 1994,
1. Kipphan, H. (editor and author): Handbook of Printmedia pp. 301-306.
- Technologies and Production Methods (to be published 8. Kipphan, H.: Digital Multicolor Printing; State of the Art
in May 2001); German edition: Handbuch der and Future Challenges. SPIE Proceedings Color
Printmedien - Technologien und Produktionsverfahren. Hardcopy and Graphic Arts IV, Vol 2413, Bellingham
Springer, Heidelberg 2000. (WA) 1995, pp.7-31.
2. Seydel, M.: Computer to Plate: Digital Workflow and 9. Kipphan, H.: Future Challenges for Digital Offset
Integration into Quality Offset Printing. TAGA- Printing - Advances in Printing Science and Technology
Proceedings 1996. (vol. 25).-Advances in Offset Printing (ed. J. Anthony
3. d´Heureuse, W. ; Kipphan, H: Print Technologies and Bristow, IARIGAI). Pira International, Leatherhead (UK)
Design Concepts for Hybrid Printing Systems (this 1999, pp. 127-132.
conference: IS&T/DPP2001, Antwerp 2001). 10. Van hunsel, J. et al.: Thermostar: A new Thermal Litho
4. Kipphan, H.: Imaging Systems for High-Quality Digital Printing Plate Technology for CTP Recording. TAGA-
Production Printing. Vocal Paper 4300-01 at Proceedings , Rochester (NY) 1998, pp. 395-409.
th
IS&T/SPIE´s 13 International Symposium: Electronic 11. Herting, H.P.; Goodman, R.M.: Computer to Plate
Imaging 2001, Science & Technology Conference: Color Technologies- The Current Product Realities. TAGA-
Imaging: Device-Independent Color, Hardcopy and Proceedings, Rochester (NY) 1998, pp. 312-328.
Graphic Arts VI. San Jose (CA) / Heidelberger
Druckmaschinen AG, Heidelberg 2001. Acknowledgments
5. Kipphan, H: Direct Imaging in Theory and Practice-
Computer to Press vs. Computer to Print. TAGA The author would like to thank Prof. Dr. Helmut
Proceedings, Rochester (NY) 1996, pp. 589-612. Kipphan of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG for his
6. Kipphan, H.: Status and Trends in Digital Multicolor support, contributions, and valuable comments.
Printing-Technologies, Materials, Processes, architecture,
Equipment and Market. NIP 13: International Conference Biography
on Digital Printing Technologies (Proceedings). The
Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T), Martin Schmitt-Lewen has worked for Heidelberger
Springfield (VA) 1997, pp. 11-19. Druckmaschinen AG on "Advanced and Future
7. Kipphan, H.: Computer to...-Technologies; New Technologies" since 1997. He received his Ph.D. in
Developments in the Graphic Arts Industry for Producing experimental physics at the University of Würzburg,
Multicolor Printed Products. Tenth International Germany in 1994.
Congress on Advances in Non-Impact Printing

66