Term of the Moment
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Redirected from: computer-to-plate
Definition: CTP
(1) (Computer Telephony Profile) See Bluetooth profiles.
(2) (Computer-To-Press) Printing directly from the computer. Since all common computer printers are essentially computer-to-press, this usage of the CTP acronym is more ambiguous than definition #3 below. It could refer to a large digital printer or to "on press" plate making (see DI press).
(3) (Computer-To-Plate) The production of printing plates directly from the computer. Also called "direct-to-plate," CTP is the digital replacement for the manual, time-consuming chemical processing that is performed when making plates from film. CTP is a stand-alone "off press" procedure, and the finished plates must be transported to and mounted on the offset printing press. The plates are mostly aluminum, but polyester, polymer and silicon are also used. For details about "on-press" plate making, see DI press.
Newspaper Plate Making
Plate Making Methods
Chemistry Free
(2) (Computer-To-Press) Printing directly from the computer. Since all common computer printers are essentially computer-to-press, this usage of the CTP acronym is more ambiguous than definition #3 below. It could refer to a large digital printer or to "on press" plate making (see DI press).
(3) (Computer-To-Plate) The production of printing plates directly from the computer. Also called "direct-to-plate," CTP is the digital replacement for the manual, time-consuming chemical processing that is performed when making plates from film. CTP is a stand-alone "off press" procedure, and the finished plates must be transported to and mounted on the offset printing press. The plates are mostly aluminum, but polyester, polymer and silicon are also used. For details about "on-press" plate making, see DI press.
ECRM's Newsmatic machines are used in the newspaper industry for making large format plates. With capacities up to 340 plates, high-end models can produce up to 150 pages per hour at 2540 dpi. (Image courtesy of ECRM.)
Although chemically developed CTP systems are an automated process, they still require chemical disposal and cleanup. Chemistry-free platemaking is the only environment-friendly CTP process. (Image courtesy of Presstek, Inc.)
Presstek's Vector FL52 is a chemistry-free CTP system. A metal plate is inserted, thermally imaged, water-rinsed, ejected and press-ready in one step. (Image courtesy of Presstek, Inc.)