If the marketing speak surrounding the launch of its latest “groundbreaking” plate sounds eerily familiar, that’s because it is. Fujifilm made similarly grandiose statements when it launched its first processless plate, the Brillia HD PRO-T, back in 2006. It quickly found favour in the market with printers because it didn’t require a processor with associated complexities and costs. The PRO-T built up a strong global user base, but Fujifilm didn’t just sit back and milk the market for all it was worth. The company continued to refine the coating and micro-graining technologies, which resulted in the launch of the Brillia HD PRO-T2 in 2008. Then scientists in Tokyo went back to the drawing board for a third and final time, and the upshot of their intensive R&D is the PRO-T3, which had a global release last December following global production trials throughout 2011.
“The latest version of this groundbreaking processless plate represents Fujifilm’s most advanced printing plate to date,” says Matt Ritson, marketing manager of Fujifilm Graphic Systems Australia. “It features a number of high-performance technologies designed to optimise performance.”
Perhaps the most important of these “high-performance technologies” is the new Multigrain V (MGV), which has been developed to address the issue of contamination.
“This new micro-graining process applied to the surface of the aluminium guarantees the widest possible latitude in terms of ink-water balance on press,” says Ritson. Then there’s Fujifilm’s new multi-layer coating, which provides different functionalities within ultra-thin layers.
“These include an over-coat layer that controls the diffusion of oxygen, ensuring optimum plate stability and a long shelf life along with a photosensitive layer that contributes to the plate’s high sensitivity and productivity,” says Ritson.
Sensitive issue
This photosensitive layer also contains the company’s “unique” new fine particle dispersion (FPD) technology, which it claims helps to improve the softening of the non-image area. Key to all of this is rapid stable start-up (RSS), which “dramatically speeds up the removal of the plate coating by the ink and ultimately onto the paper” – in layman’s terms it means that it provides better development on press, as Fujifilm’s national product manager for plates, Mark Whelan, explains.
“There are a number of variables on a press that could cause slow development,” says Whelan. “It could be the roller settings, it could be how the press operator runs the press, so what Fujifilm has done is redesign the way the plate works to make it more forgiving to all the variables that you have on a press. That process of making the plate much more forgiving for the press operator will result in faster development on press, particularly when conditions on the press aren’t ideal. Whereas in the past the plate may have taken longer to develop out if the roller settings aren’t right, now it is a lot more forgiving to those variables and whether the press is set.”
So far the new features have been well received by the local market, according to Ritson. “Trial results in Australia have been very positive. Fujifilm Australia’s customers who have converted from PRO-T2 over to PRO-T3 have reported improvements in consistency and continued cost savings from the new processless plate.”
Ritson believes that going processless can give companies that all-important edge over rivals. “Business cost savings are a priority in a highly competitive print market,” he explains. “Removing the need for processors, chemicals or water contributes to your business efficiency and ultimately your profitability. Unlike some plate production systems that reduce chemistry consumption, Brillia HD PRO-T3 does not suffer from any quality limitations as it has a specification of 1-99% resolution and is capable of reproducing 20um FM screening.
“In addition, because PRO-T3 does not require any processing or finishing involving chemistry or gum, the stability and consistency of output is actually better than a traditionally processed plate. The end result is consistent, ultra-high quality print delivered quickly and easily without compromising on quality.”
It comes as no surprise to hear that as a result of the new features and the established customer base, Fujifilm has high hopes for sales of the PRO-T3 with the company currently overseeing the conversion of PRO-T2 customers across to the new plate.
“The production improvements with PRO-T3 will see this transition happen quite quickly. The benefits of PRO-T3 will become apparent to existing customers and non-PRO-T printers needing a leading thermal plate solution,” says Ritson.
While he refuses to be drawn on pricing for the new plate beyond the fact that it will be available at a “competitive price” (he says interested parties should contact a Fujifilm sales rep for pricing information), he’s confident the company can meet the anticipated high demand for the new product thanks to its new plate facility in Europe.
Production powerhouse
“Opened in December 2011, Fujifilm’s new purpose-built, state-of-the-art plate manufacturing facility at Tilburg, in the Netherlands, ensures Fujifilm’s plate production maintains the highest possible standards for consistency, reliability and defect-free product,” claims Ritson.
The new Tilburg PS-10 production line, which can manufacture all of Fujifilm’s plate range including PRO-T3, is at the heart of a €100m ($123m) investment in the facility, and is said to have made Tilburg the “largest single site plate production facility in the world”.
As well as the ready availability of supplies thanks to the new facility, a big part of the sales pitch for the PRO-T3 will focus on the “world-class technical support” and service packages on which the company prides itself.
“Fujifilm has built up a comprehensive network of highly skilled technicians, many of whom are ex-printers,” says Ritson. “This means that not only do they understand all aspects of plate production, they also understand print applications and the demands of modern-day presses giving them the ability to deal with any issue that may arise.”
Ritson says the company’s advanced research team continues to develop products based on customer feedback and research so don’t be too surprised if in the next couple of years another incarnation of the PRO-T range rears its head. Indeed, at the opening of the Tilburg facility, Jack Schellekens from Fujfilm Europe told ProPrint’s UK sister title, PrintWeek, that the company would be launching next generation plate products at Drupa.
It may be a little premature to expect a PRO-T4 range to hit the market so soon after the launch of the T3, with Fujifilm’s sales team too busy punting the benefits of the new plate to existing and potential customers to focus their efforts on anything else for the time being. But Ritson doesn’t rule out further developments in the area in the future.
“You can expect Fujifilm will remain at the forefront of technical product development with innovative solutions for imaging and graphic communications,” he says. “Fujifilm’s commitment to on-going research and development ensures our customers have the latest technology to produce best in class quality print.”
Based on early indications, it looks like the PRO-T3 delivers on this commitment.
Specifications
Resolution: 1%-99% at 200lpi conventional, 300lpi hybrid and 20 micron screening
Sensitivity: 120mJ/cm2
Max run length: 100,000
Gauge: 0.15, 0.2, 0.3mm
Contact: Fujifilm Australia (02) 9466 2600 www.fujifilm.com.au
ALTERNATIVES
Agfa Azura-TS
Targeted at low- and medium-throughput thermal CTP users, the main downside of the Azura-TS is that it needs a clean out unit for development. While it matches the PRO-T on run length, Fujifilm claims that in a head-to-head comparison its new plate offers 50% higher productivity than the Azura-TS, is able to do FM 20um and has a lower batch to batch variation.
Resolution: 200lpi: 2%-98%
Sensitivity: 200mJ/cm2
Max run length: 100,000
Gauge: 0.15, 0.2, 0.24, 0.3mm
Contact: Agfa Oceania 1300 363 396 www.agfa.com
Kodak Thermal Direct
These non-process plates can handle run lengths of up to 100,000 on a sheetfed presses and as much as 200,000 with web presses. Again Fujifilm claims that its new plate comes out better in a direct battle with the Kodak’s TD plate, offering 70% higher productivity, better scratch resistance and the ability to print with FM 20um versus the TD’s 25um.
Resolution: 175lpi: 1%-99%; 200lpi: 1%-98%
Sensitivity: 325mJ/cm2
Max run length: 200,000
Gauge: 0.14, 0.2, 0.3mm
Contact: Kodak Australia (03) 8417 8000 www.graphics.kodak.com/AU/en
Presstek Aurora EXP
Rated for run lengths up to 50,000 – double that of the Aurora Pro but only half as much as its nearest rival here – the EXP is Presstek’s next generation of Aurora chemistry-free thermal positive plate. Available in 2-up, 4-up and 8-up formats, it requires a simple water wash and no development on press.
Resolution: 1%-99% at 200lpi and also has FM screening capability
Sensitivity: 120mJ/cm2
Max run length: 50,000
Gauge: 0.15, 0.2, 0.3mm
Contact: Grafika Links (02) 6242 4427 maria@grafikalinks.com.au
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