Pre-Press - Computer-to-plate

Agfa The Acento II four-up CtP system brings thermal plate imaging in two versions: the Acento II E model and the high-productivity :Acento II S. Acento II images all thermal digital plates sensitized for 830 nm lasers, including Agfa’s :Thermostar Plus, the new :Energy range of plates, as well as chemistry-free :Azura and developer-free :Amigo. The Avalon family of thermal plate­setters offers increased convenience, reliability and functionality and features Agfa’s new Avalon HD Imaging Head. The Avalon comes in five basic configurations with throughputs ranging from 10 plates per hour (pph) for the LE model to 40 pph for the XXT model. The

Once but a dream, CTP has become an essential element at even small in-plants. Here's one manager's story. By Jim Sabulski Years ago I found it hard to believe I would see the day when everyone had a personal computer. Some time later, using the same logic, I doubted that all print shops were going to have computer-to-plate (CTP) systems. I thought it would be reserved for the large-format shops that could afford it. You see now why I am a printer and not a prognosticator. Not unlike at many small in-plants, the majority of offset work produced in College Misericordia's in-plant is one-

Computer-to-plate systems have dropped in price and jumped in quality. Take a look at the different systems on the market. By Bob Atkinson Computer-to-plate (CTP) technologies have been the norm at large print shops and newspapers for almost a decade. In the past few years, though, competition and new technologies have driven the cost of both CTP equipment and consumables down to the point where they're affordable and practical to any departmental or in-plant shop. In fact, if you use just 250 square feet of plate material per month—that's about 145 13x19˝ plates or 62 20x29˝ plates, for example—you'll find that the cost numbers

Whether it's for the environmental benefits or the cost and time savings, an increasing number of in-plants are installing computer-to-plate systems. By Carol Brzozowski With a year of computer-to-plate (CTP) experience under its belt, Arkansas State University's in-plant has no desire to ever go back to film. "It's probably one of the best investments we've ever made here," says Director David Maloch of his shop's Heidelberg Prosetter 74. That's what an increasing number of in-plants are discovering. According to an In-Plant Graphics survey, 34.7 percent of in-plants have installed CTP—and the number is growing. The environmental benefit is one of the prime reasons.

Computer-to-plate technology has reshaped many of the in-plants on the Top 50. By Linda Formichelli New prepress technology has enabled in-plant employees to keep their hands clean by shifting all the dirty work to the digital realm of 1's and 0's. Mastering this technology has been a key element in the success of the in-plants claiming a spot on this year's IPG Top 50. "We've been streamlining prepress into the digital workflow over the past several years, going from conventional paste-up to eight-up output and now in the past eight months to computer-to-plate (CTP)," says Rick Wise, director of Printing Services at the Columbia-based

ICTP may get all the attention, but at some in-plants imagesetters still have a few advantages. By Vince DeFranco Though computer-to-plate (CTP) and direct-to-press digital printing steal much of the technological spotlight, imagesetters still hold a place among in-plants and small commercial printers. Since many in-plants use older imagesetters that are paid for, the idea of re-engineering their plants to accommodate new, pricey CTP devices isn't a very popular one. "We didn't go CTP a few years ago because the cost to get an aluminum platesetter at that time was prohibitive to us," explains Michael Schrader, printing and publishing manager for Mercury Marine,

Computer-to-plate technology has certainly cut a few steps out of the printing process. But plate manufacturers want to eliminate the processing, as well. By Mark Smith Computer-to-plate (CTP) production is all about removing steps, variables and labor from the workflow. So it naturally follows that people would look to eliminate the chemistry-based plate processor. The leading plate manufacturers have very similar takes on the future of this development. Their shared vision begins with a focus on non-ablative switchable polymer and/or on-press development systems. Presstek, however, is an exception. The Hudson, N.H.-based company has pioneered the market with its current generation of chemistry-free plates and

Many in-plant managers are finding that computer-to-plate isn't the wave of the future—they need it right now. By Mike Llewellyn IT ISN'T easy to convince management to invest in large equipment, particularly not when it transforms an in-plant's workflow. But it was just that vigilant attention to the bottom line that led Ken Volz to prepare his in-plant's offset operation for a digital workflow. "We were still doing small-format film and we wanted to get a large-format platesetter," says Volz, director of Printing Services at the University of Cincinnati. So just over a year ago, the Ohio in-plant brought in an Agfa Apogee prepress

Both imagesetters and platesetters have advantages, but many vendors feel CTP is the way to go. By Mike Llewellyn IMAGESETTERS STILL have a home in the in-plant world, but among manufacturers these days, they just aren't that popular. With their ears to the ground, most major manufacturers of imagesetters expect interest in the technology is about to run its course, particularly with advent of violet laser computer-to-plate (CTP) technology. The equipment is still selling, they point out—albeit slowly. But overall, according to Ken Hanulec, director of marketing for Creo Americas, most in-plant managers would be better off investing in computer-to-plate systems rather than

CTP can substantially slash the amount of time, labor and money needed to complete an offset job. by Mike Llewellyn Michael George is a very busy man. Whether he's meeting with customers, flying to trade shows or solving any number of daily crises in the in-plant, he's always looking for a way to get a little more time. George is director of Villanova University Graphics, a 13-employee shop tucked away on the second floor of Galberry Hall in a far corner of campus. Operating in what was once a house, the in-plant is its own storm of activity, and it's in a constant race