Computer-to-plate (CTP) is an imaging technology used in modern printing processes. In this technology, an image created in a Desktop Publishing (DTP) application is output directly to a printing plate.
Compared with the traditional PS plate-making process, CTP plate has the advantage of short process flow, which can greatly improve the printing quality and shorten the production cycle, thus saving labor costs.
According to different plate-making technologies and materials, CTP plates can be divided into the following categories:
Thermal CTP Plates: This type of plate uses a heat-sensitive coating and applies heat energy to the plate's surface through the CTP machine's laser head to form an image. The unexposed portions of the coating are melted and removed by thermal energy, forming the printed image.
UV CTP Plates: This type of plate uses a UV-sensitive coating and uses UV irradiation through the laser head of the CTP machine to form an image. The image is then solidified through chemical processing
Processless CTP plates: This type of plate is usually a variant of thermal or UV CTP plates. They do not require wetting or chemical processing to form images, so they are called "processless" plates.
Violet CTP Plates: This plate uses hydrocarbons as the sensitive layer, and the laser head uses ultraviolet irradiation to form images. Violet CTP plates have advantages in cost, speed, and image quality.
These are common computer-to-plate plate classifications. Different types of CTP plates are suitable for different printing needs and CTP machines. As technology continues to advance, new CTP plate types may emerge.
Thermal CTP plate-making technology is currently the most mature, stable, and effective plate-making technology. The next blog will describe the characteristics of thermal CTP.
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