The advantages of computer-to-plate (CTP)

Nowadays, computer-to-plate (CTP) is no longer what pioneering technology, but in the early days, only large companies used computer-to-plate, because these companies generally have the financial and human resources to establish a team to evaluate this technology and adopt this technology. The various programs. Due to the elimination of film and labor costs, these companies can benefit from adopting CTP technology. And now there are already many small and medium-sized printing service providers, but also benefit from computer-to-plate technology.

But how do you know which computer direct plate is suitable for you? When considering a decision, there are many factors to consider. For example, available resources, technical knowledge, or perhaps the most important considerations are competition, strategic planning, and a complete understanding of the customer.

The most exciting reasons for stimulating people to purchase computer-to-plate systems are: saving the cost of film and manpower, improving print quality, and working faster.

Printers invest in computer-to-plate making to improve their business. They focus on two areas that can make them pay off:

1. Can you improve the print production process

2. Can it meet the expectations of print buyers

All computer-to-plate systems have advantages in the printing manufacturing process:

1. Remove redundant workflows, for example, film (there are fewer steps required to bring the plate to the press due to the increased productivity of computer-to-plate).

2. Avoid the image problems related to the printing plate (due to the differences in the printing plate exposure time, such as flower marks, misregistration, dot variation, and dot inconsistency).

More importantly, after the use of computer-to-plate, printers are able to meet customer expectations. Printers generally consider three main factors related to customers:

1. Speed ​​- how fast the work cycle

2. Price - Printing Production Cost

3.Quality - in line with customer expectations and the accuracy of the print

Because computer-directed platemaking dispenses with film, its workflow is digital end-to-end, allowing buyers to modify the manuscript closer to the production floor. In addition, digital proofing requires fewer steps and is faster than film-based drafting, while enabling remote digital proofing to be achieved. Now that digital proofing has soft copies and hard copies, the printing business has become more efficient and faster. Due to the complete imaging of the printing plate, few printing plates need to be recreated (thus seldom catch up with the progress of the printing room).

Some CTP suppliers use CTP's accuracy to provide innovative network technology that enables printing to take on a whole new dimension. For example, Creo's SQUARE spot dot technology, due to its accuracy and consistency, allows printers to mix Staccato FM and natural colors (such as Pantone Hexachrome-CMYKOG six-color printing), eliminating some or most of the Spot colors, thereby reducing the production costs of printing. This is especially important for packaging printers who often use a lot of spot colors in their plans.

Different customers have different expectations for the prints they buy (for example, there are different requirements for monochrome bus schedules and copy artwork, and the same customer makes different requirements for annual reports and letterheads). In the printing production process, various standards can be met, naturally meeting the expectations of buyers to achieve the highest efficiency and highest profits.

One can achieve a variety of standard printers must be done:

1) Printed according to SWOP specifications

2) Printed in accordance with GRACoL guidelines

3) Print at Dmaxx (high ink density) for maximum color saturation

4) Printing with FM (Frequency Modulation Network) to make the level smooth

5) Print with FM and Dmaxx to make the printing more detailed and achieve the highest color saturation 6) Print with the original (such as Hexachrome six colors) to eliminate spot colors

Computer direct plate making is not just the plate making process. It can improve the printing quality, improve the operational efficiency, provide customers with a wide range of popular services, increase the diversity of work, and handle it effortlessly and with higher profits.