Talking about: Direct Imaging Plate Technology

In the next two decades, most of the world's ordinary commercial printing will be based on sheetfed offset printing, but those who think that the traditional way to win the competition is wrong, because The times are improving and technology is constantly being upgraded.

In the past, the traditional way to upgrade was simply to replace it with new ones, and now some of the strong sheet-fed press manufacturers in the printing industry are constantly trying to produce completely new, automated, truly influential machines. However, the newly-increased definition of “upgrade” will lead to advancements in one area with efficient auxiliary equipment. This type of upgrade is highly probable. It depends on the specific print products and specific markets printed by the printers. Such improvements will provide printers with unusual opportunities in the next 10 to 20 years.

The latest developments in sheet-fed presses and the development of related equipment are focused on automation, productivity improvement, labor reduction, and integration of production processes. At the same time, people are also considering a ubiquitous reality - that is, shorter and shorter job lengths. Printing workers can get a shorter operating cycle by reducing their job preparation and washing time.

Medium-sized printing presses grow and mature

From the perspective of sales and installation of new units, the medium-format web presses (26-29 inches) are developing very fast and have caught up with the sales of small and large (40-inch) printers, and for several presses. For business, medium format presses have become the flagship product. The new medium-format web press has the same features as large machines with fully automated, 5-6 compatible units, double-sided printing and on-line drying. In addition to purchasing mid-size presses from manufacturers of some complete production processes, presses can also be selected from two companies, Sakurai and Shinohara, which have long been dedicated to the production of small to medium format printers.

The packaging market is a major driver for the development of medium-sized equipment. The packaging and printing market still shows its growing momentum relative to other stagnant markets.

In the long run, multi-unit configuration presses will also hit the medium-sized press market. On the DruPa2000, Heidelberg exhibited the latest 10-unit off-presses, Akiyama demonstrated the latest 32-inch presses, JPrint exhibited 5-5 presses at GRAPHEXPRO, and Jprint's printing units were stacked. It saves printing space and can print both sides of the paper at the same time.

Directly to press plate imaging

A whirlwind from press makers is the rapid development of direct imaging technology. KOmori announced this technology at Drupa to be used on their 40-inch presses, while other press makers are focusing on This technology is used in the development of medium-sized printers. Presstek and Creoscitex are developing laser imaging technology on the plate cylinder.

When the concept of imaging directly on the plate in the press becomes more and more attractive, and indeed can be achieved, investing in this new press becomes more and more realistic. Although the investment in imaging printers is 25% higher than that of other types of printers, if single-fluid ink or waterless printing can eliminate the ink balance system and related equipment, the investment amount will decline. At present, according to the printer's product structure, only half the cost of the investment computer direct plate making technology can meet the printing plate requirements of the direct plate printing three-color printing machine, which is very economical.

Last year, Creoscitex introduced direct imaging SPTM technology, which first sprayed a layer of laser-imageable polymer on a plate sleeve, which was confirmed on a 10-year-old Shinollara monochrome press. The technology of laser imaging directly on the printing plate complements the CTP technology.

In addition, a more exciting ideal has become a reality inadvertently, that is, from a mechanical point of view, why these coating units cannot be arbitrarily adjusted according to the conditions of the existing presses? Similarly, the printing plate sleeve can be printed with As with the plate, it can be used several dozen times without having to disassemble it. Older presses are becoming less and less competitive, not only because of their slow speed or poor print quality, but because of their relatively long job preparation. Use the technology that can reduce the preparation time to make full use of "old" machines.

Similarly, ink-water balance is also a matter of concern in multicolor printing. Flint Ink's single-fluid ink (SFITM) or Sun Chemical's water-free, water-washable InstantDryW2 can solve this problem. The combination of revamped direct image plate technology and waterless ink technology on old machines creates exciting opportunities for printers and related equipment manufacturers.