'Green' CTP Completes Transition From CTF

Presstek has installed a Dimension 450 Excel computer-to-plate (CTP) system with Anthem chemistry-free thermal plates at Formulardruck Hergl in Warza (Germany).

Presstek has installed a Dimension 450 Excel computer-to-plate (CTP) system with Anthem chemistry-free thermal plates at Formulardruck Hergl in Warza (Germany).

The sales and installation process was handled by Presstek's distribution partner in eastern Europe, Omnilab, a member of the Ring Grafischer Fachhandler.

Formulardruck Hergl was founded in 1991 and has grown to become a full-service provider employing 23 people.

Hergl specialises in the production of forms, business materials and newspaper inserts.

The acquisition of a Presstek system was prompted by Formulardruck Hergl's objective to transition from computer to film (CTF) to CTP and to increase production reliability.

Olaf Hergl, the managing director of Formulardruck Hergl, included in the purchasing criteria that the system should be be UV-resistant as well as chemistry-free to ensure environmental production.

Hergl explained: "The plates are totally UV-resistant even at medium run lengths without baking.

This is an important criterion for our UV press, which we frequently use to produce newspaper inserts in small to medium runs as a specialty service." The installation and integration of the Dimension 450 Excel went smoothly and Olaf Hergl was impressed with the service provided by Omnilab and the Presstek staff.

He added: "We experienced 99 per cent production reliability right from the start and have had virtually no problems at all with the Dimension 450 Excel." Hergl described the adoption of CTF in 1999 as a preliminary learning phase for the ultimate goal to transition to CTP.

He continued: "As a result, we circumvented the longer and at times challenging learning process that can be associated with implementing such technology.

The know-how that we had acquired was definitely a big help to us during the transition to CTP." The Presstek CTP combination has enabled Formulardruck Hergl to achieve gains in productivity.

"Our current production process is worlds away from the old one we had with computer-to-film, even based on print quality alone.

Now we can produce a 70 lines per centimetre screen and easily handle subtle transitions in difficult motifs.

There is no more downtime resulting from quality or register problems involving the plates.

On top of that, we are benefiting from significantly shorter make-ready times." One of the most important benefits of the UV-resistant Anthem technology is, in Olaf Hergl's words, that his firm, "can now eliminate its 'energy-guzzling' baking oven and produce print-ready plates." Formulardruck Hergl has also fulfilled its corporate directive to use environmentally compatible production methods.

Hergl concluded: "Just as importantly, our customers benefit from all of these advantages as well.

In the business world, such cases are frequently referred to as a 'win-win situation'.

For us, these outstanding results are proof positive that Presstek and Omnilab are the right partners for a successful future.".

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