COMPUTER-TO-PLATE

CTP – Trends and

technology, Part 1
By Tony King, Agfa

In Europe and North America CTP has become big business for the suppliers. For many
printers, CTP is now definitely a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’. In some areas of the
print market the majority of the printers have already gone CTP and some of the first
generation CTP devices are already coming up for renewal.

T
he major saving reported by users The only question is ‘which technology?’
of CTP is the savings on press, In this review we hope to explain the
specifically the make-ready (or different technologies in a simple and
‘start-up’) time. For colour printers, CTP clear way. The good news is that the CTP
gives almost instant colour register on the technologies are now fully proven and
press and there is no need to worry about widely available. CTP as almost everyone
stopping the press to delete dust marks now knows is the laser exposure of a
and scratches that sometimes came from printing plate, without the use of a film
the film. In a world where reducing run intermediate. This can happen on-press or
lengths mean that many press runs are off-press. It may happen with or without
getting shorter and shorter, the benefits a plate processor. It may happen with a
of CTP are getting increasingly important green laser, a violet diode, a thermal laser
– specifically the improved make ready head or even a red laser. Even the type of
times allows printers to get the jobs on and off the imaging platform (internal drum, external or flat bed)
press faster. has a part to play. Systems are now available for all
CTP allows printers to increase the yield and quality plate formats, speeds, budgets and applications –
of their main asset – the printing press. CTP allows and that partly explains why there are a wide variety
these improvements to be done without a need to of different types of CTP. The plates used in CTP are
increase labour costs, if anything the automation often referred to as ‘digital’ plates.
often frees up labour for other tasks. Although CTP first attracted serious discussion in the 1990’s
there are differences between different geographical and since then has come a long way. Not all of
regions, there is a clear interest in CTP technologies the original products and suppliers seen at Drupa
from all sectors. With many of the larger printers ’95, for example, are still around. But many of the
telling us that CTP is now definitely part of their enabling technologies such as proofing and workflow
investment plans for the coming years. automation software have received a great deal
of investment and now offer very high levels of
reliability and affordability. Competition from the
suppliers is also good news for the buying public who
now has a wide range of suppliers and technologies
to choose from. But that can, and does, confuse
would-be buyers. The new challenge for the suppliers
is to ensure that the buying public understands
the technologies, the differences between these
technologies and how they are used. Let’s explain
more...
For a long time offset printing plates were imaged
using traditional films and high power UVlamps –
nowadays this is often referred to as ‘analogue film
and plate technology’. This was, and still is, a very
good way of supplying plates to pressrooms. The
technology is ideally available, affordable, proven and

16 Graphix February 2010 Printed on Sappi Triple Green Print Matt 170g/m² and 115g/m²
 COMPUTER-TO-PLATE

•L  abour and skill shortages. Recruiting and retaining

skilled prepress technicians has been an issue for
many printers. The automation associated with CTP
means that many of the traditional ‘apprenticed’
prepress skills are being increasingly replaced by
sophisticated workflow and CTP devices. Labour
can be more effectively used elsewhere, or is simply
made redundant.
• Quality. A first generation dot imaged directly on
a plate bypasses the film intermediate and allows
new levels of quality to be achieved. For some
publications this means more advertising revenue
since the overall print quality is superior.
robust. But the suppliers were quick to realise that • Press productivity. Particularly for colour work, the
no single analogue plate and film product/technology rapid make-ready and register means that jobs are
was able to meet the wide needs of an industry as turned around faster and the printers’ main asset
diverse as ours. Differing features and benefits were (his press) becomes more productive, increasing
needed according to the print
application and customer, in
fact analogue plate and film
technologies were developed
so that all the applications
had products that met their
needs. One of the important
facts to remember today is that
this same customer base has
exactly the same wide range of
applications from CTP systems
as it had from analogue
systems. Therefore, it comes
as no surprise that no single
CTP technology is right for all customers. A
quick look at the market place today shows just that
– a variety of CTP technologies has emerged, each
with features and benefits that will closely match
the needs of a particular printer. The challenge revenues and profits. This competitive edge given
for the suppliers is to explain this technology in a by CTP is often forcing the hands of those who fear
coherent way so that the customer gets the best CTP being ‘left behind’.
technology for his business – be that violet, thermal, This list isn’t exhaustive, but these are some of the
silver halide or any other technology. most frequently quoted reasons to go CTP. A good
But first a word about the business drivers for supplier will help any CTP prospect to calculate the
CTP. This also shows differences from customer to cost benefits of CTP. In the early days the suppliers
customer, and each reason is valid. Typical business tried to make a ‘one fits all’ spreadsheet calculation
drivers include, amongst others: to work out the financial benefits – this is easier
•L  abour costs. Busy plate-making rooms can be said than done given that printers are different in
replaced with a CTP device that may be fully the way they operate their resources, time, people,
automated and can operate round the clock. Some equipment and raw materials. It is futile to suggest
prefer a manual device where the purchase cost is that any single CTP technology will fit all applications
lower, especially if people are available for plate – though it would make life easier (and less costly)
loading and unloading of the CTP device. Some for all the suppliers if it were true.
printers prefer the highest levels of automation
possible. It all depends on the individual printer Digital plate technology
and how his workflow, business and people are The best digital plates use high quality grained and
organised. anodised aluminium substrate. This technology
• The need to replace an imagesetter. For some the is well proven from the world of analogue plates.
move to CTP is sparked by the film imagesetter For the higher quality plate suppliers, good quality
reaching the end of its natural life. electrochemical graining and anodising ensures

Printed on Sappi Triple Green Print Matt 170g/m² and 115g/m² February 2010 Graphix 17
COMPUTER-TO-PLATE

other type of digital (CTP) or analogue plate. That’s

why the manufacturers all recommend optimising
exposure using specially designed exposure wedges.
Thermal energy can be overdone... just like any
other form of energy – just like cooking food at
the wrong temperature. High-resolution imaging is
a precise technology and requires careful control.
The platesetters have to be consistent and the
plates need to be consistent. But when a printer
has decided on his preferred CTP technology and
supplier, very few go back to analogue platemaking.
The correctly exposed plate is then developed. For
digital plates this may (but doesn’t always) involve
a pre-heat before image development – in simple
terms the pre-heat can be thought of as an ‘image
amplification’ stage. Preheat is used in photopolymer
plate technology from e.g. Fuji and Agfa, it is also
robust wide-latitude press performance, stable used for some thermal plates. Pre-heating does
ink/water balance, good quality printed results use additional energy (kilowatts, perhaps) and is an
and importantly it also ensures predictable press additional step in the process, but with advances in
behaviour. Next comes the surface coatings and here modern plate processors it is a controllable process
is where the diversification comes. Many analogue and isn’t considered a major issue. Agfa, for example
plates might have just a single coating layer. Digital has sold hundreds of its :Polaris newspaper CTP
plates may have several layers. The chemicals used systems to some of the biggest newspapers – most of
in these layers determines how they respond to these newspapers use photopolymer plates (though a
different laser wavelengths as well as how they will significant number use silver plates) and the pre-heat
perform in different print applications. Research section hasn’t led to either product or system issues.
began typically in the 1980’s on these higher-speed The real issue for the suppliers is ensuring system
plate coatings. Back then the suppliers knew that the stability and predictability, when they can achieve
lasers might not be delivering the kilowatts of energy this they will have commercial success for one
given by UV lamps in printing down frames – typically important reason – they have satisfied customers.
lasers would be operating with a few tens of watts, as Today the CTP market has shown that several
is the case with thermal plates today. different technologies have all led to satisfied
Beyond that there were even more possibilities if customers in different applications. The three biggest
plates could be made to operate on lasers that were selling CTP technologies are silver halide, thermal
using just milliwatts. Photopolymer plates and silver and photopolymer – all of which are well proven
halide plates have plate coatings that are even more and available from different suppliers. All these
sensitive than thermal plates and can be exposed by technologies offer a proven route into CTP and are
the new violet lasers for example. The plate coatings considered safe, reliable choices. ‘On-press’ is an
undergo a physical and/or chemical change during area where digital plates really help printers save or
laser exposure. This is a critical stage since it is make money. As the use of colour increases so does
important that the plate surface is not under-exposed the need to get accurate register and ‘make ready’
or over-exposed. For a positive working digital (CTP) as quickly as possible. CTP users typically report that
plate, ‘over exposure’ causes excessive sharpening this is an area that shows dramatic improvements
of highlight details, the opposite is true for a negative when CTP is implemented. Specifically on-press
working digital plate. One of the earlyhopes of the deletions (‘spotting out’) is often dramatically
CTP suppliers was that thermal plates in fact might reduced or eliminated. Register is very fast since the
be impossible to over-expose. The theory here was images on the different colour cylinders on press
that thermal plates allow the image to form at a have been digitally registered. Make ready is achieved
threshold temperature and so over or under exposure quickly and this ensures that the printers turnaround
would be impossible. Unfortunately for the suppliers time for the job is improved. Newspaper printers
this proved to be an impossible dream – a shame report that better quality digital plates can run with
since all of the suppliers would have had a plate lower damp levels, leading to reduced web breaks
technology with the widest possible latitude that and therefore (again) higher press yields and faster
would be totally foolproof. In the real world however, turnaround time.
thermal plates need precise exposure control to give Silver halide CTP plates (from e.g. MPM or Agfa)
optimum reproduction characteristics, just like any are rated for runs of up to 350,000 and sometimes

18 Graphix February 2010 Printed on Sappi Triple Green Print Matt 170g/m² and 115g/m²
COMPUTER-TO-PLATE

more. They have been a popular choice in both silver and photopolymer plates. Unfortunately, and
commercial and newspaper CTP, achieving high levels this question is often asked, thermal plates are NOT
of quality – certainly on a par with thermal plates. compatible with the violet diode CtP devices.
Silver plates are also well matched to the new violet Photopolymer plates are most typically used
laser diodes; silver is still the fastest, most sensitive, in newspapers but have been successful in
digital plate technology. It is easy to sensitise to any some commercial print areas as well. Typically,
convenient wavelength of light. Silver was used by the photopolymer plates are rated at lower resolution
whole world for graphic arts film, so is well proven capability than silver and thermal plates – so
for laser exposure. Therefore, silver technology was photopolymer plates wouldn’t be the best choice
a natural choice for CTP. However the silver halide for the highest quality print. For example Agfa rate
plate manufacturers tend not to recommend silver their :N91 photopolymer plate to a maximum of
plates for very long run applications nor are they 175 LPI, but thermal and silver plates are able
strongly recommended for UV printers. Again, we to image at 200 LPI (and above). Photopolymer
return to the common theme... no single digital plate plates do have a well-deserved reputation for being
technology suits every application. robust in use with wide working latitude on press,
Thermal plates offer high resolution – equivalent this perhaps explains why they have been such a
to silver halide. Thermal plates are also typically popular choice in newspaper CTP. Why not thermal
bake-able for the longer run printers or for those with for newspaper? Look at the benefits of thermal: high
aggressive press conditions – such as UV. Typically resolution, bake-able for 1 million+ runs, daylight
the plates are sensitised to the 830 nanometre IR handling for manual platesetters. These benefits are
(infra red) wavelengths, and typically the plates are good benefits... but irrelevant for newspapers, so
exposed on external drum platesetters. Thermal why pay for thermal? Again we return to the theme
has been a good choice for many printers and that each CTP technology has certain features and
has served the industry well, but there are areas benefits suitable to certain applications. No single
where thermal hasn’t been successful. For example CTP technology can meet everyone’s needs. A variety
thermal CTP has struggled to make an impact in the of technologies is required and that’s exactly what
newspaper business – in fact the bulk of newspaper the market place shows today – silver, photopolymer
CTP installations has been with visible light (or and thermal plates have all been successful.
‘non-thermal’ CTP technology). Reasons for this are Next month we continue but examining the sticky
various, but the high speed of visible light CTP (plates question of violet vs. thermal.
are typically thousands of times more sensitive Kemtek Imaging Systems:
than thermal plates) means that the high speed T +27 (0) 11 624 8000;
newspaper CTP devices have been better matched to www.kemtek.co.za

20 Graphix February 2010 Printed on Sappi Triple Green Print Matt 170g/m² and 115g/m²