Among major streams of development taking place in platesetting are automation and accommodation to environmental concerns. While the commercial printing sector has largely adopted CTP, newspapers have lagged but are now moving rapidly to employ the benefits of this technology. Automation extends beyond platesetting proper. With plates produced so fast in some settings, such as newspaper and high-volume commercial sites, setters now feature various sized drawers much like the different sized paper trays on copiers. Even as processing falls into decline with chemistry free, no-process or no-bake plates, post-image logistic automation systems with plate punching, bending, marking and distribution schemes, from firms like Burgess and Nela, become the “new” plate processors. Environmental concerns favor chemistry-free platesetting and, to a lesser extent, waterless offset printing. These technology streams are converging at Graph Expo to bring the best of platesetting for the commercial market.

Manufacturers such as Mitsubishi imaging are continuously upgrading offerings for small-format platesetting, highlighting the DPX4 Eco polyester platemaker at this show. Some suppliers to this segment, such as Xanté and Presstek, are integrating workflow adapted to the needs of smaller shops. Presstek is partnering with EskoArtwork. Xanté has found a market for its Symphony workflow driving its own and other firm’s imagers (see p.24). Screen brings its latest platesetters accompanied by a workflow evolving to drive its new generation digital presses.

Fujifilm Graphic Systems, while placing increasing emphasis on its digital presses from Xerox and wide-format machines from Inca, is debuting environmentally friendly platesetting solutions at Graph Expo. Its new Ecomaxx-T processless thermal plates, 100% effluent free, are paired at the show with its 21 plate-per-minute Dart 4-up thermal platesetter, offering a small footprint both physically and environmentally.

On the high end is Fujifilm’s Javelin 8800ZX, outputting 51 plates per hour at 2400 dpi—reportedly the fastest on the market. Javelin is optimized to work with the Ecomaxx-T plate or LH-PJ no-bake thermal plate.

Agfa offers U.S. printers their first look at :Azura, a new chemistry-free plate making its North American debut at the show, running live on an Agfa :Xcalibur 45.

Heidelberg premiers its Saphira Violet Chem Free plates, which are exposed on its Prosetter line of platesetters. At the show, it is running other Saphira plates on its Suprasetter 105.

Presstek’s Compass 4-up and 8-up platesetters make their North American debut at Graph Expo. This chemistry-free platesetting family, ranging in production speed from 15 to 38 plates per hour, is paired with Presstek’s Aurora Pro chemistry-free plates and or can run third-party low energy (830 nm laser) thermal plates. Aurora Pro plates require a simple water wash prior to mounting on press and have strong resistance to UV inks and solvents.

Glunz & Jensen is showing its latest PlateWeiter 2400 inkjet platesetter, which images directly onto non-sensitized aluminum plates—there’s no processing and, hence, no chemistry.