Esko-Graphics products earn Electronic Publishing Award

Electronic Publishing, November 12, 2003

Vandalia, OH - Esko-Graphics' high-speed PlateDriver HS platesetters have received one of Electronic Publishing's eleventh annual Hot Product awards. According to Electronic Publishing, this elite group of products best exemplify the qualities needed to be leaders. PlateDriver HS platesetters are capable of imaging 4-up and 8-up violet polymer plates in addition to violet silver plates. Up to 46 4-up plates can be exposed per hour on the PlateDriver 4HS, while up to 42 plates 8-up plates can be exposed on the PlateDriver 8HS.
Electronic Publishing, which covers technology from design to print...and beyond, targets design, prepress, and digital printing professionals needing timely, comprehensive coverage of applications, products, and trends in the graphic arts industry. Electronic Publishing is a recognized leader in the field and has been serving the industry for more than 27 years. To select the winners, the editorial staff of Electronic Publishing reviewed the hundreds of products covered during 2003 and assembled a list of approximately 50 nominees. That list was distributed to the staff for voting, and the votes were tallied to determine winners. Participating were founding editor Frank Romano, contributing technology editor Ira Gold, senior associate editor Nancy Hitchcock, managing editor Courtney Howard, and editor Keith Hevenor. The December 2003 issue of Electronic Publishing will unveil winners of the 11th annual Hot Products awards.
"The past year has been very challenging for the graphic arts industry," says Keith Hevenor, editor. "But leaders in our industry continued to introduce products and technologies that could help printers become more efficient with their printing workflows. The PlateDriver HS is an example of a well-designed platesetter that can harness the advantages of violet plate technology, providing high quality, cost-effective plates."
By increasing the power of the violet FreeBeam laser from 30mW to 40mW, the PlateDriver HS can expose polymer plates at the same imaging speed as silver-based plates. Both visible-light plate technologies are much more sensitive than thermal plates, allowing faster imaging with less powerful lasers.
Esko-Graphics has found increasing interest among medium and large printers for violet polymer plates. They are less expensive to purchase and process, and can last as long on press as thermal plates. Unbaked, violet polymer plates offer run lengths of 100,000 - 250,000 prints, but with baking can offer up to 1,000,000 prints, even with UV inks. Besides longer run lengths, these plates can be processed in conventional aqueous chemistry and the waste does not contain silver or other potentially hazardous materials. Processing chemistry for violet polymer plates lasts up to approximately 32,000 square feet of plate before the processor has to be cleaned and refilled - about three times longer than some other technologies. For the average plate department, this is equal to a free week of processing.
Printers can convert between silver and polymer plates with only a few on-site changes activated by the PlateDriver's control software, without changing any mechanical or optical parts. However, because of the different nature of the two plates, post-processing processing and chemistry need to be changed. All high speed PlateDrivers provide printers many flexible options, including automatic and semi-automatic loading, an unlimited number of register systems, and even the ability to upgrade from a 4-up to 8-up model - on site.
Vandalia, OH - November 12, 2003. Esko-Graphics' high-speed PlateDriver HS platesetters have received one of Electronic Publishing's eleventh annual Hot Product awards. According to Electronic Publishing, this elite group of products best exemplify the qualities needed to be leaders. PlateDriver HS platesetters are capable of imaging 4-up and 8-up violet polymer plates in addition to violet silver plates. Up to 46 4-up plates can be exposed per hour on the PlateDriver 4HS, while up to 42 plates 8-up plates can be exposed on the PlateDriver 8HS.
Electronic Publishing, which covers technology from design to print...and beyond, targets design, prepress, and digital printing professionals needing timely, comprehensive coverage of applications, products, and trends in the graphic arts industry. Electronic Publishing is a recognized leader in the field and has been serving the industry for more than 27 years. To select the winners, the editorial staff of Electronic Publishing reviewed the hundreds of products covered during 2003 and assembled a list of approximately 50 nominees. That list was distributed to the staff for voting, and the votes were tallied to determine winners. Participating were founding editor Frank Romano, contributing technology editor Ira Gold, senior associate editor Nancy Hitchcock, managing editor Courtney Howard, and editor Keith Hevenor. The December 2003 issue of Electronic Publishing will unveil winners of the 11th annual Hot Products awards.
"The past year has been very challenging for the graphic arts industry," says Keith Hevenor, editor. "But leaders in our industry continued to introduce products and technologies that could help printers become more efficient with their printing workflows. The PlateDriver HS is an example of a well-designed platesetter that can harness the advantages of violet plate technology, providing high quality, cost-effective plates."
By increasing the power of the violet FreeBeam laser from 30mW to 40mW, the PlateDriver HS can expose polymer plates at the same imaging speed as silver-based plates. Both visible-light plate technologies are much more sensitive than thermal plates, allowing faster imaging with less powerful lasers.
Esko-Graphics has found increasing interest among medium and large printers for violet polymer plates. They are less expensive to purchase and process, and can last as long on press as thermal plates. Unbaked, violet polymer plates offer run lengths of 100,000 - 250,000 prints, but with baking can offer up to 1,000,000 prints, even with UV inks. Besides longer run lengths, these plates can be processed in conventional aqueous chemistry and the waste does not contain silver or other potentially hazardous materials. Processing chemistry for violet polymer plates lasts up to approximately 32,000 square feet of plate before the processor has to be cleaned and refilled - about three times longer than some other technologies. For the average plate department, this is equal to a free week of processing.
Printers can convert between silver and polymer plates with only a few on-site changes activated by the PlateDriver's control software, without changing any mechanical or optical parts. However, because of the different nature of the two plates, post-processing processing and chemistry need to be changed. All high speed PlateDrivers provide printers many flexible options, including automatic and semi-automatic loading, an unlimited number of register systems, and even the ability to upgrade from a 4-up to 8-up model - on site.#