New Technology for Making Plates That May Trigger a Technological Revolution

Recently, the US OLEC Corporation announced that it will launch a new computer-to-plate system. According to relevant information, the key equipment of this type of computer-to-plate system called SpectrumPlateSetter is a large inkjet printer. As a series of products, this platemaking system has 3 models, its maximum plate making width can reach 259cm×183cm, the highest resolution is 120lpi. The biggest difference between this device and the CTP system introduced in the past is that it is used to apply special inks directly to an aluminum plate base that has only been subjected to roughening, oxidation, and other pretreatments, and can be used for printing after curing. With this plate-making system, not only the plate-making film can be saved, but also the plate material used without the photosensitive layer need not be coated, so that the plate-making cost is greatly reduced. According to the data display situation, the current factors that may hinder the development of such products include the cost of large-scale inkjet printers, the cost of special inks, dot resolution problems, and the printing rate. However, with the development of related industrial technologies, these problems will only be temporary. Moreover, once these issues are resolved, a new plate-making technology revolution will surely follow.