How to make plates directly (below)

In addition, KBA and SCITex cooperated to launch Karat on-machine platemaking system; Ryobi and Presstek launched Ryobi 3404 DI; Akiyama used Presstek's integrated infrared laser scanning head ProFire to launch JPrint Perfector series on-machine platemaking system; Screen introduced TruePress machine-to-plate system...
The DICOweb direct-to-plate system, introduced by Man Roland in cooperation with CreoScitex, is the most typical example of the use of thermal wax transfer imaging technology. At the time of plate making, an ink ribbon (approximately 7 μm thick) with a carbon black heat-sensitive coating (approximately 7 μm thick) is brought into contact with the plate cylinder of the offset printing press. The carbon black coating is transferred to the plate cylinder under the action of infrared laser heat energy. The lipophilic image area. The oleophilic image area is cured on the surface of the cylinder by a short period of high temperature treatment (approx. 160°C) and has sufficient print strength. The roller surface of the non-graphic area has a suitable hydrophilicity after a short time of hydrophilic treatment.
After the printing is completed, the ink on the surface of the plate cylinder and the thermal wax transfer layer can be cleaned with a special cleaning solution. The biggest feature of this system is that it no longer uses traditional forms of printing plates and does not require replacement of printing plates. Therefore, both plate cylinders and blanket cylinders can be designed as seamless cylinders, which reduces printing noise and reduces mechanical movement instability. It is very beneficial to increase the effective area and quality of printing.
Spray-on-Polymer from AGFa can also build the same imaging system. It is said that it is currently in the experimental stage and it is estimated that there will be new systems in the near future. Some people mistakenly call this system "printless" printing, which is obviously not quite clear. This is still in the category of printed editions, and there are still plate-making processes as well as corresponding consumables and expenses. The cost of a single page of printed materials will also gradually decrease with the increase of the number of prints, which has all the characteristics of traditional printed editions. However, this technology uses non-traditional forms of printing plates, and users (users) really do not have the feeling and operation of printing plates.
From another point of view, it can also be said that the current machine-to-plate system can be subdivided into two systems that use traditional format plates and systems that do not use traditional forms. There is a misunderstanding that the on-machine direct platemaking system is called a digital printer. Such misunderstandings are particularly prone to occur in on-machine plate-making systems that do not use traditional format plates. Strictly speaking, a digital press should be a printing device used for digital printing and should satisfy:
(1) The final image formation process is digital;
(2) No version in real sense;
(3) Variable information printing can be realized.
Obviously, these two kinds of on-machine platemaking systems can not meet the requirements of these conditions, so the corresponding equipment may wish to use the term "direct imaging printer", "on-machine direct plate printing machine" to describe, but the use of "digital printing The machine "is obviously inappropriate.