Report from the CTP front #3 – Andy McCourt fires off a clarification

Brillia
is the generic name for all of Fujifilm's CTP plates. I was referring to the Brillia
LP-NV which is a photopolymer, violet-light (405nm) plate rather than silver-
based. Photopolymer plates are more consistent and durable than silver, but
can not handle as high resolutions and have a narrower tonal range. They have
recently been commercialised for violet applications so perhaps are not 'coming
in' but readily available. Apologies to Fujifilm and GSA.

Also, to clarify the speed issue, I stated that 'Thermal plates CAN be made
faster' and also, about violet, 'The hardware generally costs less than thermal,
and can be faster in production.'

This sounds ambiguous so let me clarify. The
fastest commercial CTP devices I know of are thermal. These are the Luescher
XPose! 190 'Ferrari' model shown at drupa producing 44 x 8-up plates per hour
and the Screen Ultima 32000 rated at 46 x 8-up plates per hour. However,
these are specially configured 16-up machines pairing 2 x 8-up plates.

Generally, visible light exposure is a faster process because photosensitive
material requires less energy than thermally sensitive material. However,
making undeveloped plates should not be the measure. Add processing time to
photosensitive plates and compare the whole with processless or water-wash
thermal, and it's a different picture.

This is all part of the confusion I referred to, mostly as manufacturers attempt to
outdo each other in the market, and in some cases hang on to silver-halide
based technology. The key words in my view are Process Simplification –
unless we achieve this in every department of print production, we will be
behind the eight-ball.

In my column next week, I'll attempt to deliver a map for
Process Simplification in computer-to-plate, whilst riding a horse into a valley
with cannons to the left and cannons to the right of me.

If I don't survive, remember I said that this CTP debate would generate more
heat than light!