The trend of CTP (on)

The total number of CTPs in use in the world has exceeded 6,000 units, mainly in Europe, the United States, Japan and other countries. There are still less than 100 units in China, but Japan has exceeded 600 units. The popularity of CTP has reached about 10% of the total number of laser imagesetters in Japan. It is expected that future CTPs of the open type and A3 specifications will increase. However, CTP is ultimately a technology of this kind of crossing. Finally, the DI opportunity for on-board imaging becomes the mainstream. It is expected that by 2007, more than half of the new machines for offset presses will be DI machines. The generally required equipment prices and plate prices have also been reduced due to competition. After JGAS 2001, although the market has declined in the CTP sector, printing companies will continue to introduce CTP.
From the perspective of the development of CT technology, it is clear that the transition from visible to ultraviolet lasers, high-speed, automated, non-printing, and diversified version specifications of equipment, but should not be satisfied with these, but also consider RIP, Elements such as digital proofing, plus the interrelationships of CIP4 and color management, and workflow management using the Internet.
UV CTP
The UV CTP that had previously attracted attention on DRUPA2000, also recognized by PRINT01, JGAS01, the largest one Creo and Heidlberg company did not exhibit UV CTP on DRUPA2000, but Agfa put all the energy on UV, because in visible light The laser (photosensitive polymer type) on the heat-sensitive CTP is negative to the heat-sensitive one and vice versa. Therefore, when the existing visible light laser CTP replacement work ends, the introduction of ultraviolet light is likely to decline.
Compared with the thermal CTP, the UV CTP is easy to fabricate in the inner drum and is easy to complete. In addition, imaging units such as lasers are also inexpensive, and the motors of the inner rollers can also be miniaturized, the cost is also low, and the amount of generated heat is less than that of the thermal sensors, and there is less problem of plate expansion due to temperature change, and the workability is less. The yellow security light is also no problem. The biggest problem is the CTP version of the photosensitive material. In fact, only the Agfa family now has a shortage.
Hdidelberg published the Prosetter for UV CTP on PRINT01 with a laser wavelength of 405 nm and a power arm of 5 mw. This is a modification of the Primestetter (CTF) published on DRUPA2000 for CTP. The Prosetter 102 is a 32 x 42-inch souvenir sheet, 12-hour edition, and the price is 132,000 US dollars, which is relatively cheap. The Prosetter 72 is 26 x 30 inches (on the side), 16 hours on the 1 hour, and costs $81,000. The Prosetter52 is a 26 x 15 inch King, 1 hour 20 version, and a price of 62,000 U.S. dollars. It is produced in batch with Heidelberg's press specifications. In addition, Top Setter, which accepts imaging heads manufactured by Dainippon Screen, added a new 64-channel model.
The Palladio of Agfa's UV minicomputer is a modification of the FlatRite 1050 manufactured by Dainippon Screen, which has a resolution of 2400dPi and can output 20 versions in one hour.
The future of CTP The trend of CTP, in addition to the above-mentioned trends toward UV lasers, there are output speeds, expansion of response specifications, improvement of resistance to printing forces, automatic processing, and levitation and high-resolution color printing. Many aspects.
All of the trademarks have been integrated into Creo's original CreoScitex since the beginning of this year. This is because Creo's Trendsetter has an absolute market share, and Squre Spot thermal imaging technology loaded on Lotem is able to acquire differentiated technology. This is a matter of course. The company’s top person in charge believes that the on-board imaging DI technology being converted is the only thermal technology that has contributed to the success of CTP. Creo's batch production of the sophomore's Lotem800 Quantum (1 hour 25 version thermal, the highest speed) and the small off-site Lotem400 Quantum can be automated or semi-automatic. In addition, it also sells the Spectrum of CTP/DDCP based on Trendsetter and Lotem, and uses the photosensitive materials of Imation and KPG for productivity. Luxe 19600 produced by Richland Photo Film Company is a photosensitive resin CTP. Thanks to the advanced inner three-beam method, B1 size 27 can be output in one hour, enabling very high-speed processing. Agfa is based on UV, and Fujifilm is dealing with thermal, photosensitive resin, and UV. Kodak's main manufacturers of photosensitive materials are targeting thermal and adopting strategies to adapt to market trends.
Dainippon Netman Manufacturing Co. doubled the PrateRite 8600's laser channel to 64, and output 20 blocks at 2400dpi in 1 hour for the Souvenir Sheet, which greatly improved ergonomics, and the batch production also went from A3 to Souvenir Sheets. Have. The platform CTP FlatRite 1050 for the visible laser and the UV laser is a 14-hour version, so companies are pursuing it.
After the company provided technology to Heldelberg's TopSetter, it produced the PlateRite 8600 under the Fuji Photo Film brand and supplied it under the Luxe 19000. The FratRite 1050 is produced under the Agfa brand, and it is understandable that it adopts an expansion strategy for hardware manufacturing. The main force of the imaging unit in the future will come from Creo's layout environment for Dainippon Screen. The decline in equipment prices, like the home appliance industry, has opened up the production system for the development of manufacturers.
UVSetter produced by Germany's Basys Corporation is a concept of CTCP (Computer to conventional Plate). It can be displayed by the Toyo Ink Co., Ltd. at the time of JGAS2000 using the usual PS version and coefficient code exposure method. This UVSetter uses a DLP element developed by Texus Instrument to form an image by reflecting UV light from a mercury lamp with ON/OFF reflection in a fine square hole. This is also due to the very clear edge of the dot, even though it is 1800dpi, the dot reproducibility of the 175 line is also very good. (To be continued)