Thermal Processless Plates Exceed Expectations

Fujifilm Graphic Systems has reported that the take-up of its new thermal processless plate, Brillia HD PRO-T, is exceeding expectations.

Fujifilm Graphic Systems has reported that the take-up of its new thermal processless plate, Brillia HD PRO-T, is exceeding expectations.

The plate, which was launched at Ipex last April, has been in full production since June and is now being used by 12 commercial printers in the UK and over 30 users in Western Europe with many more trials are pending, said the company.

Sean Lane, Fujifilm's technical support manager for plates, commented: "The interest in the plate is fantastic.

We have carried out numerous trials up and down the country and the conversion rate is superb, with the plate performing exactly as we promised it would at Ipex 2006." He added: "Many of the printers who have migrated to PRO-T have commented on the ease of use of the plate in terms of the image produced on the plate and the performance on press.

Critically, there are no productivity or quality penalties and a number of users have now migrated to PRO-T after using plates from other suppliers, specifically for this reason." Claimed to be compatible with most thermal (830nm) platesetters and approved for one per cent - 99 per cent at 200lines per inch (lpi) conventional, 300lpi hybrid and FM screening, Brillia HD PRO-T is a non-ablative plate that carries a latent image with distinct contrast, allowing visual inspection after imaging.

When used on press, the new Multigrain technology is said to quickly carry ink and fount enabling the plate to be in full print production within a similar number of waste sheets compared with conventional PS or CTP plates.

Multigrain also contributes to the same ink and water balance as Fuji's existing CTP plates, added the company.

Brillia HD PRO-T can be imaged using the same power as Fuji's existing thermal processed plate at 120mJ per square centimetre, resulting in the same production speeds, said Fujifilm.

Supporting run lengths up to 100,000 impressions, it will meet the demands of most commercial printers, and can be handled under daylight conditions, added the company.

Due to the new functional undercoating technology, it also requires no additional equipment for true processless capability, it is claimed.

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