Development trend of UV-CTP plate making system technology
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Foreword
UV-CTP technology refers to a method of computer-to-plate making on a conventional PS plate using UV light or UV laser, which is also known as CTcP technology.
This technology has the elimination of film output and low overall cost (since the use of conventional PS plate, ordinary developer and ordinary plate machine, the cost is only half of digital heat, digital violet laser or process-free plate), equipment investment is relatively small It can be operated under the bright room (yellow light safety light), which is beneficial to environmental protection. At present, Punsh Graphix's UV-CTP platesetter has been developed to the fifth generation, and the image quality and plate making speed are significantly improved compared with previous generations, and the running stability is good. According to the sales representative of Shanghai Saitu Printing Equipment Co., Ltd., the general agent of CTcP direct platesetter in Basysprint (acquired by Punsh Graphix), the total installed capacity of UV-CTP platesetters in 2006 was 1,500 units.
With the increase of the power of the plate-making machine, the application of the new generation of DSI2 digital screening technology, and the world's many well-known plate manufacturing companies continue to introduce high-sensitivity plates, the application of UV-CTP technology has developed rapidly. At present, UV-CTP platesetter accounts for about 5% of the total number of CTP platesetters in the world (30,000 units at the end of 2006).
First, UV-CTP technology
1. Ultraviolet UV-CTP technology features
(1) Adopting the digital plate making process, eliminating the need to output film and other links, reducing information transmission losses.
(2) Using square dots to improve resolution, compress output files, shorten RIP processing time and data transfer time, and improve plate making efficiency.
(3) The plate making operation (yellow light safety lamp) can be carried out under the bright room.
(4) The conventional PS version and the kit are used, the price is low, and the comprehensive cost is low.
(5) The laser head of the plate making machine has a long service life (about 3000h), the price is low (about 10,000 yuan), and the maintenance cost is low.
(6) Fully automatic, semi-automatic and manual version can be selected.
2. Purple laser UV-CTP technology features
In recent years, with the introduction of 365nm, 375nm semiconductor UV lasers, it has brought dawn to UV-CTP. The UV-CTP system using a violet laser source will quickly occupy the market and achieve good economic benefits.
Future UV-CTP technologies will offer the following advantages:
(1) The plate making speed is faster;
(2) Higher precision;
(3) Better compatibility than traditional PS plates.
See Table 1 for a comparison of the performance of thermal CTP, violet laser CTP and UV-CTP systems.
It can be predicted that with the development of semiconductor UV laser technology and the high-sensitivity process of the plate, UV-CTP will be the product of the combination of the advantages of violet laser CTP and UV-CTP.
Second, UV-CTP plate making equipment
UV-CTP platesetter can be divided into two types: ultraviolet UV-CTP and ultraviolet laser UV-CTP according to the light source used. The former, such as Punch Graphix (the parent company of BasysPrint), introduced the UV-Setter series of platesetters, such as the XPose UV-Setter series of platesetters introduced by Lüscher.
1. UV UV-CTP platesetter
The earliest UV CTcP platesetter was launched at Drupa 1995. The purple laser/laser platesetter prototypes were launched by Purup-Eskofot, BasysPrint and Esko-Graphics. In particular, after 2000, it was commercialized by BasysPrint, and four series of platesetters such as UV-Setter 5, 6, 7, and 11 were introduced, which added vitality to the CTP market and attracted many small and medium-sized printing companies. In 2004, Punch Graphix acquired BasysPrint and renamed CTcP technology to UV-CTP technology. By 2006, UV-CTP platesetters had installed at least 1,500 units worldwide and 70 units in mainland China, mainly in Guangdong (Dongguan, Shenzhen), Zhejiang, Shanxi, and Northeast China.
In 2006, Saitu Technology Co., Ltd. and BasysPrint cooperated and became the general agent of BasysPrint's CTcP products in China. Sato Company specializes in European digital prepress equipment and printing equipment. It is headquartered in Hong Kong and has branches in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing.
According to Mr. Lin, Sales Department of Shanghai Saitu Printing Equipment Co., Ltd.: In the second half of 2007, BasysPrint has sold more than 20 UV-CTP platesetters in mainland China.
Lüscher's series of Lüscher Xpose! The technical parameters of UV laser UV-CTP platesetter are shown in Table 2 [1].
In recent years, with the introduction of 355nm, 365nm and 375nm UV laser diodes by Photonics and Power Technology, the laser power has been gradually enhanced, and the sensitivity of the plate material has been correspondingly reduced, which has brought greater application to the application of UV-CTP technology. Expansion capacity. Among them, Nichia's 375nm UV laser diode has a power of 800mW, and has been developed by the corresponding CTP users. At the 2006 All-Indian Exhibition in Shanghai, Lüscher of Switzerland exhibited the XPose UV-CTP new plate-making machine, using a 405nm UV laser with a plate-making speed of 20 sheets/hour. Hong Kong Yongjingtang Company purchased this during the exhibition. Plate making machine.
2. UV laser UV-CTP platesetter
The development of UV laser technology has brought a new round of dawn and business opportunities for the promotion of UV-CTP. For example, Lüscher has launched Lüscher Xpose! The UVUV-CTP platesetters of the 130UV, 160UV and 190UV models have been sold worldwide, with more than 20 units sold in April 2007. It uses a 405nm laser source, which is close to the photoreceptor peak of conventional PS. It can be directly plated with PS plate.
3. UV-CTP plate making machine development trend
The rapid development of UV-CTP platesetters is determined by technological advances. See Table 3 for the development of UV-CTP platesetter technology.
Third, UV-CTP plate making imaging principle
1. BasysPrint's UV-Setter series plate making machine imaging principle
BasysPrint's UV-Setter series of platesetters utilize Texas Instruments (headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, a global semiconductor company and a world-class designer and provider of real-time digital processing solutions). Digital grating processing technology (DLP, DLP2), developed into digital screening imaging technology (DSI, DSI2), using ultraviolet light source (high pressure mercury lamp, 350 ~ 420nm) directly exposed to the traditional PS plate, made into a printing plate, used for printing .
The core component in the platesetter is the microscope (DMD), a 4 cm2 wafer with tens of thousands of ultra-micro lenses. Each of the ultra-micro lenses will process the image information from the RIP and then expose it. The working principle is shown in Figure 1.
At present, with the application of DSI2 technology, the increase of light source power, the use of continuous scanning and the improvement of plate sensitivity, the plate-making speed of UV-Setter series platesetter is further improved, reaching 25-30 sheets/hour.
2. Lüscher Xpose! series UV-CTP platesetter imaging principle
The series of platesetters use 405nm UV laser light source to expose the traditional PS plate, which can be used for frequency modulation, amplitude modulation and hybrid screening. The imaging speed is comparable to Xpose! The biggest advantage is that UV laser and thermal laser (830nm) conversion can be achieved by simply replacing the laser head.
Lüscher's Xpose! series of UV-CTP platesetters are enhanced by their Xpose! thermal platemaking machine, featuring a unique laser set and inner drum design, with ultra-close distances of optical components and plates to ensure maximum transfer efficiency. And exposure accuracy. According to Lars Janneryd, vice president of Lüscher, the Xpose 130UV platesetter can complete the exposure of 1000mm×700mm plates in 2min, with a production capacity of 20 sheets/hour. The Xpose 160UV and 190UV platesetters use a dual-exposure structure that doubles the plate-making capabilities.
Fourth, UV-CTP plate material
Generally speaking, the requirements for UV-CTP plate material are: high sensitivity of the plate material, good matching of the photosensitive wavelength and the light source; good dot reduction; wide adaptability of development processing; fast ink balance; high printing durability; it is good.
The UV-CTP version is usually divided into two types: a negative type and a positive type.
1. Negative UV-CTP version
The negative pattern is also called photopolymerization/photocrosslinking type. The imaging principle is to use the photosensitive layer to be partially polymerized/crosslinked to form a graphic area, which is used for printing after inking; the unexposed part is removed during development to form Non-image area, hydrophilic, thus achieving ink and water balance.
The negative-type UV-CTP plate has a faster plate making speed, which is more than 30% higher than the positive-type plate of the same sensitivity. In this respect, the negative pattern is more suitable for UV-CTP plate making. Because of its high print durability, it is suitable for commercial packaging printing.
2. Positive image UV-CTP version
The positive image type is also called photodecomposition type. The imaging principle is to use the photosensitive layer to decompose the light portion, remove it during the development process, form a non-image area, and be hydrophilic; the unexposed part forms a graphic area, and is inked for printing. Due to the large area to be removed, a longer exposure time is required, and the plate making speed is slower. However, due to the advantages of good dot reductibility and wide adaptability of development processing, it is often used in commercial printing and newspaper printing.
V. Huaguang UV-CTP plate material
The second film factory of Lekai Group (referred to as Lekai Erjiao) launched the Huaguang UV-CTP version in 2005, which is divided into Huaguang brand UV-P type (positive picture) and Huaguang brand UV-N type (negative picture). Two types.
1. UV-P type positive type CTP plate
Huaguang UV-P type plate features:
(1) It has good spectral matching with BasysPrint UV-Setter platesetter;
(2) High sensitivity (90 ~ 100mJ / cm2);
(3) The network is restored (2%~98%, 200 lpi);
(4) The microwire reduction is accurate (6~10μm);
(5) Wide processing adaptability;
(6) High printing durability (100,000 impressions under standard conditions);
(7) The plate making speed is moderate (10~15 sheets/hour);
(8) Good storage stability (10 to 20 ° C, 65% RH, valid for 2 years);
(9) Suitable for high-precision color printing.
2. UV-N type plate
The characteristics of Huaguang brand UV-N plate are:
(1) It has good spectral matching with BasysPrint UV-Setter platesetter;
(2) High sensitivity (50 to 70 mJ/cm2);
(3) The network is restored;
(4) The microwire reduction is accurate (6~12μm);
(5) High printing durability (150,000 impressions under standard conditions);
(6) The plate making speed is faster (20 to 30 sheets/hour);
(7) The development dilution ratio is suitable;
(8) Good storage stability (10 to 20 ° C, 65% RH, valid for 2 years);
(9) Suitable for commercial packaging printing.
Sixth, the status of foreign UV-CTP version
In recent years, with the rapid development of UV-CTP platesetters, the world's major plate manufacturing companies have launched high-sensitivity PS plates, which have achieved a certain market share. See Table 4 for the plates that are available from various companies for UV-CTP plate making.
Seven, the development trend of UV-CTP technology
1. Development trend of photosensitive layer technology
The photosensitive layer coating liquid is not limited to the conventional diazo resin sensitizer and the radical polymerization sensitizer, and the chemical amplification technology will also be applied to the UV-CTP sensitization, thereby improving the plate resolution, dot reductive property, and development tolerance. Printing performance such as degree and printing resistance.
2. Light source development trend
Nichia Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. has begun to sell high-power UV-LED (product model NCCU033), and is actively developing its associated UV laser products, such as photocatalysts and hardened resins.
With the increasing sensitivity of the 365nm, 375nm laser head and the traditional PS version, the UV laser CTP system using the traditional PS version will become one of the mainstream CTP technologies.
3. Market prospects
Compared with thermal and violet laser CTP technology, due to the low overall cost of UV-CTP (the cost of consumables is only 1/2 of other types of CTP), the equipment investment is less (but 20% more expensive than the thermal plate-making machine, mainly It is more expensive than 120mW high-power purple laser head), can be operated in bright room (requires yellow light safety lamp), stable supply of consumables, plus the successful application of DSI2 technology on UV-CTP plate-making machine and chemical growth technology of plate material Applications, as well as the introduction of 365nm, 375nm UV laser heads, the market prospects for UV-CTP systems will be very attractive.
China as a PS version of the production and use of large countries (2006 total production capacity of offset printing plates reached 180 million square meters), from the plate-making environment and the concept of the industry are conducive to the adoption of UV-CTP, and the application of CTP in China In the golden period of rapid development, the use of CTP in 2006 has accounted for nearly 10% of the total use of offset printing plates [2], so UV-CTP has great advantages in the promotion and application in China, I believe its market prospects Very broad!
Eight, several issues that should be paid attention to in the application of UV-CTP technology
1. The promotion and application of UV-CTP technology will be subject to certain resistance
The owner of CTcP technology, BasysPrint, has used the traditional PS version to highlight its own characteristics, and has applied for the CTcP registered trademark, which is bound to cause a unique show, and its promotion strength is slightly insufficient, while Kodak, Fujifilm, Agfa, etc. The reasons why the industry giants should not be involved or unwilling to intervene have seriously affected the speed of promotion of UV-CTP technology. For example, at Drupa2004, Esko-Graphics introduced the same type of equipment, because it can not be called CTcP, it can only be called CTUP (Computer to UV Plate); China's Longma Aluminum Group and Lüscher company launched UV-CTP The plate can only be called the Longma-CTdP version.
For any new plate-making technology, only competition will develop, and it will have its commercial value and greater profits. This point can also be derived from the waterless CTP version launched by Toray Corporation of Japan a few years ago. Because no other big companies participated in the competition, it finally failed and became a short-lived one. The thermal ablation CTP version introduced by Presstek has not been seen in the industry.
2. The cost of CTP and UV-CTP will eventually become consistent
When people talk about CTP, while feeling the good performance brings happiness, the price of CTP plate is always a bit complaining: the price of CTP version is about 2 times that of PS plate. Imagine: For the PS version of the technology that has been around for 60 years, the commercialization of CTP plate technology has only been more than ten years. The pre-development cost of the manufacturer must be distributed to the price of the plate, resulting in CTP. The price of the plate is higher. 10 years ago, when the CTP plate just entered the market, its price was more than 4 times that of the PS version. As the demand for CTP market increased year by year, the price of plate material gradually dropped to the current level. It can be seen that the price of CTP plate will be With the popularity of technology, it has gradually declined. In terms of manufacturing cost alone, the main material cost of the plate material is on the aluminum plate base. As for the difference in the photosensitive coating, since the proportion of the coating in the cost structure of the plate is small, there is a large price difference. It is precisely because of the high content of CTP plate photosensitive layer technology. The PS version used by UV-CTP is not an ordinary PS version. In order to achieve the ideal plate making speed, a higher-sensitivity plate must be used, and the UV-CTP plate has digital exposure characteristics, and the technical content is high. The manufacturing cost of the plate, which undoubtedly increases the price of the plate.
In addition, UV-CTP technology also uses a digital imaging process, no need to repair the process after exposure, therefore, not all ordinary PS version can be suitable for UV-CTP technology. In order to ensure the quality of the plate making, it is necessary to ensure that the plate material has no defects, and the price of the UV-CTP plate material is also slightly higher than the price of the conventional PS plate. With the promotion of technology, we can predict that the cost of CTP plates will be consistent with the cost of the PS version.
3. The price of UV-CTP platesetter will be the same as other CTP platesetters.
At present, the price of UV-CTP plate making equipment is still relatively expensive, which is similar to the case of the high price of CTP plates. On the one hand, manufacturers must allocate the pre-development costs to the price of the products; on the other hand, with the market demand, more equipment suppliers will join the competition, and the final result is that the price of the platesetter will be further lowered. , to the same level as other CTP platesetters.