The Green Age of Printing Plates: The Secret of the New Chemical-free Plates (I)

Editor's note: Traditional plate processors that require the use of large quantities of chemicals are now difficult to meet most customers' plate-making needs.

With the emergence of various no-treatment and chemical-free processing products, the plate making process is becoming increasingly environmentally friendly. At drupa this spring, both Fujifilm and Agfa have introduced chemical-free processing designed specifically for the 405-nm laser, which is very close to the laser wavelength used in traditional violet laser printing. Version. At present, except for one electrostatic product, all other green CTPs use thermal technology. The appearance of these products proves to us that a traditional plate processor that requires a lot of chemicals has been difficult to meet the needs of most customers.

The simplest exemption process is this: image plates are printed and then taken directly to the press for printing. Kodak has introduced such a workflow and a disposable sheet that can be directly developed on the press, Thermal Direct. After thermal exposure of the graphic area, the plate can be mounted on the press. The dampening cylinder on the press will soften the emulsifier coating on the non-graphic area, and then the ultra-thin coating. It will be scraped off by the ink roller and it will exit the printing press with the offset paper. In this process there was no plate processor and chemicals, and no panic - and the entire platemaking process was completed smoothly as the emulsifier exited the press through the paper. The Kodak Thermal Direct Plate released on Print 05 has been officially launched since the fall of 2006. It uses chemical electrolytic polishing and anodized plate base, so it can achieve a super high printing force of 100,000 prints. If it is in a dark environment, the exposed plate can even be stored for 2 weeks before printing. For the newspaper and cold-fixed web printing market, Kodak also introduced a similar on-press development product, the PF-N process-free plate.

Fujifilm has expressed its concern for environmental issues with the new Ecomaxx-T on-press plate, although it still uses the name Brillia HD PRO-T in markets other than the United States. While acquiring a new name, this product also brought improved emulsifier formula to U.S. customers.

Jim Crawford, director of consumables for the Fujifilm Group, said: "We have improved the water solubility of emulsifier coatings on Ecomaxx-T plates so that emulsifiers in the non-graphic area of ​​the plate can be diluted with a small amount of fountain solution. "Ecomaxx-T printing plate can also reach about 100,000 India, can meet the requirements of most commercial printing plants.

Fujifilm's Crawford believes that environmental awareness is not the only reason to promote the exemption of processing and chemical-free plate usage. He pointed out: "There are many reasons for this situation - besides achieving environmental protection, small and medium-sized printing Businesses can also get more economic benefits by eliminating the plate processor.The process-free development process will make it easier for printers to manage plates. Outside the industrial park, many companies are in the septic system. On top of that, or because it cannot be connected to the public waste treatment system, the chemical-free processing system not only has environmental advantages, but also has important significance for the development of the company."