the perks of processless

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
Full Article
Depending on which vendor you speak with, processless computer to plate (P-CTP) systems are either available and competitive today, or are still over the horizon. Regardless of where they are, they are poised to supplant other approaches to CTP by allowing printers to satisfy changing customer needs more efficiently while enabling them to manage their financial and environmental performance more effectively. Unfortunately, conflicting claims around this new technology have left many printers in a fog about what processless is and its potential benefits. The technology, although new, is indeed available and should be on display and ready for purchase from some firms come Graph Expo. Those printers intent on being early adopters can plan on all the traditional benefits of CTP, plus the new perks of processless. Conventional CTP already offers many advantages over conventional platemaking: better register, the elimination of film-related costs, and the ability to employ stochastic screening, to name just a few. Most CTP systems in use today require the installation of plate processors. Some also require ovens for pre-exposure or post-exposure baking. P-CTP systems promise to eliminate the headaches associated with processing. Given that benefit, it should come as no surprise that most users and vendors have been looking toward so-called "processless" plates as the Holy Grail of CTP for more than a decade. This is especially the case when the costs, sources of variability, and environmental impacts associated with current CTP solutions are accounted for. Given the choice, what printer wouldn't want to free up the capital, space, and labor dedicated to operating processors with caustic developer solutions, or eliminate the costs and risks associated with the safe and responsible disposal of waste effluents? What printer wouldn't welcome regaining the time lost to processing plates and processing-related plate remakes? What printer wouldn't like to simplify their business and print in a smarter and more responsible way? Until recently, Presstek was the only vendor marketing processless plates. However, if the number of "processless" technology demonstrations and product announcements made at Drupa 2004 are any indication of things to come, it is likely that Agfa, Creo, Fuji, Konica-Minolta, Kodak Polychrome Graphics, and several other vendors will soon join Presstek in competing for P-CTP business. Many versions of the Holy Grail will be in sight and/or on sale at Graph Expo. With the growing pressure for businesses to become more nimble, lean, and responsible, more and more CTP vendors can be expected to proclaim the benefits of processless CTP systems. A Plate by Any Other Name For now, the term "processless" appears to have the cache of the word "digital" circa 1995; everyone may be starting to use it, but with varying definitions. As the technology becomes more defined and refined, users will likely see more and better information about the features, benefits and limitations of various P-CTP solutions. In particular, vendors should be expected to voluntarily disclose all relevant information about the lifecycle health, safety, and environmental (HSE) effects of all of their CTP offerings. P-CTP's current state comes after more than a decade's worth of widespread and imprecise use of the term "processless." However, with the market heating up, vendors are expressing concern that adoption of processless plate technologies could be hampered if potential buyers are perplexed by overly broad or conflicting definitions. According to John O'Rourke, director of CTP marketing for Presstek, "Lack of standardized nomenclature has the potential to create confusion in the marketplace." To help make sense of the field, Mr. O'Rourke hopes that the term "processless" will be reserved for the overall category with some specific definitions of subcategories. His suggestion segments the processless field into several product categories (and are provided with the author's own acronyms): * Process-free CTP (pfCTP): Complete elimination of all plate developing steps. No additional treatment is required after imaging to prepare a plate for press. Presstek's Applause thermal ablation plate is an example. In addition, some switchable-polymer approaches to CTP have been discussed that could potentially satisfy this description. * Chemistry-free (cfCTP): No consumable products and no regulated waste stream. Water rinse with drain disposable effluent. Presstek's Anthem plate is an example. * Simple process (spCTP): Such plates require a simple finishing step such as gumming. An improvement over traditional chemical development, but has a consumable component and a waste stream. Agfa's Azura thermal latex coagulation plate is an example. * On-Press Developing (pdCTP): The imaging process either fixes or initiates release of a coating layer that is later removed on press during initial roll-up. KPG's Thermal Direct Plate and Fuji's Brillia LDNS Thermal plate are examples. According to Mr. O'Rourke, some inkjet CTP approaches may conform to one or more of the descriptions above because inkjet imaging systems will generally have a consumable component and may require additional post-imaging steps, such as baking, rinsing, or gumming. As for his own company's products, Presstek's lineup includes the Anthem, Aurora, Free-dom, and Pearldry chemistry-free plates, and the Applause process-free plates, all of which are available for sale and will be demonstrated at Graph Expo 2004. Fortunately for the graphic arts industry, vendors recognize there is confusion in the marketplace concerning the term "processless," and they are beginning to address it. Jo Vander Aa, manager of new systems and technologies for Agfa's Graphic Systems/Imaging Solutions group, concurs with Mr. O'Rourke that greater clarity is needed. "We are very well aware of the confusion in the market about the meaning of 'processless,'" Mr. Vander Aa notes. In fact, Agfa plans to clear up some of the confusion with two new, true processless products at Graph Expo--Thermolite and Azura. Thermolite is a thermal non-ablative plate, released for on-press imaging only, and Azura is a thermal non-ablative chemistry-free plate system for CTP applications. Both plates are negative working and use the same basic technology: thermal latex. Even with the vendor acknowledgements of confusion, the marketing of these types of technologies requires some careful word choices. While Presstek's Mr. O'Rourke suggests that the term "processless" be used in reference to the overall category, and that "process-free" be reserved to describe products that eliminate all plate developing steps, Agfa's Mr. Vander Aa maintains that "Processless should be used to Indicate plate systems in which the platemaking process does not include any steps that use liquid treatments [other than including inkjet fluids] or that generate some form of liquid or solid waste. "We believe that a plate system whereby plate surface debris is removed by the printing process itself can still be called processless if that debris has no significant impact on the paper or other waste treatment from the printing process," he adds, "but a plate system whereby some cleaning process is needed to remove such debris before printing and whereby extra waste is created, should not be called processless." What Are the Benefits? Regardless of differences in how they define their offerings, the majority of vendors see small- to medium-size commercial printers and in-plant printers as being most interested in processless plates, and most vendors agree on the benefits that are likely to be seen as most important to customers. Vendors also observe that the environmental benefits of P-CTP are of greater importance to printers in Europe than they are to printers in the United States. Environmental regulations in some European countries are more stringent, and the continent generally places a greater emphasis on environmental sustainability reporting to investors. Environmental claims, however, may overlook big reasons printers across the globe will want to go processless in the immediate future. Mr. O'Rourke maintains the primary benefit of processless CTP is process simplification. This is achieved through reduction in the steps required to support efficient production-fewer steps means lower costs for consumables, reduced labor, reduced infrastructure requirements, and higher consistency. The elimination of chemical consumables and their associated waste streams might just be one of the secondary benefits of the technology. Saving Space For some, saving space might be the number one reason to go processless. According to Robert Feldberg, vice president of marketing for Konica-Minolta Graphic Imaging USA, "The primary benefits of processless CTP solutions are space savings because of reduced footprint required; more consistent quality due to the elimination of processing variability; and savings achieved through the elimination of chemistry, processor, and reduced maintenance labor costs. "In addition," he added, "environmental benefits are derived though elimination of risks and costs associated with the disposal of chemistry waste effluents and special areas required to safely store chemistry." Konica Minolta will have a live demonstration of its SR-830 thermal IR platesetter and the TF-200 thermal polyester processless plate at Graph Expo. The Screen True Press will be demonstrated at Graph Expo running a processless plate from Konica Minolta, as well. Environmental Concerns Going forward, however, more and more businesses are expected to take environmental concerns to heart. If efficiency and space get early adopters to take up processless, the environmental benefits might be the reason behind processless' second wave. Already, many vendors are quick to adopt methods they see as more environmentally sensitive. For instance, Mr. Vander Aa states, "Lowering the environmental impacts of products is a major goal for Agfa, not just because of our company ethics and our own corporate guidelines, but because we are convinced that the environmental awareness and concern of customers--as well as ever tightening legal regulations--will continue to grow in the future." Mr. Vander Aa's belief that environmental awareness and concern are likely to be on the rise is supported by the findings of a recent survey of more than 2300 publishers, creative professionals, printers, and other graphic arts professionals in North America. In the study, 66 percent of respondents said they expect the importance of environmental factors in their purchasing decisions their to increase over the next five years. More than two thirds of the creative professionals surveyed stated that vendors do not provide them with enough information about the environmental aspects and impacts associated with their products or services in order for them to make responsible design, purchasing, and production decisions. Process Less and Expect More As more vendors enter the market with processless plates, users will benefit if they insist that vendors agree upon common definitions. And, as interest increases, they may also be able to provide more information about the environmental aspects of their products. Currently, U.S. regulations do not require vendors to publish a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), Article Information Sheet (AIS) or an ISO-compliant Lifecycle Data Sheet (LDS) for plates or developers. The environmentally conscious printer, however, may come to expect it as processless becomes more of reality. Today, the environmental benefits associated with processless CTP may be perceived as secondary to the quality or process simplification benefits. It is also easier today to assign an economic benefit to processless than it is to determine its environmental attributes. But, in the years ahead, in an increasingly greener global economy, the environmental benefits may be a significant and measurable source of value creation. Printing businesses of all sizes, and in all parts of the world, could feel a growing need to adopt platemaking systems that are measurably and verifiably preferable in terms of their environmental performance. Don Carli, is a professor in the department of advertising, design and graphic arts at New York City College of Technology, City University of New York, in Brooklyn. He is also president of Nima Hunter, an independent firm that conducts research and surveys on sustainability and other issues. For information on processless technologies, contact Mr. Carli at processless @nima hunter.com