Positive Thermal CTP Plate is a type of digital plate-making technology used in the printing industry, widely applied in printing production, especially under the demand for high-quality printing and rapid production. This plate material uses a thermal chemical reaction to transfer the image, offering high precision and efficiency.
The Positive Thermal CTP Plate is primarily used in Computer-to-Plate (CTP) technology. This plate is exposed and imaged using thermal technology, providing high resolution and excellent printing quality, and is commonly used in high-end commercial printing and newspaper printing.
Aluminum Substrate Plates are the most common CTP plate base material, offering good flatness, durability, and chemical stability. Aluminum plates are typically coated with a photosensitive layer, and the image is transferred through thermal laser exposure. The exposed areas of the coating are ablated, revealing the metal substrate.
| Product Type | Positive Thermal CTP Plate |
| Compatible Platesetter | All the dominant platesetters |
| Aluminum | Aluminum alloy 1050/1060 standard |
| Plate Thickness | 0.15/0.20/0.25/0.30/0.40mm |
| Maximum Coil Width | 1350mm |
| Spectral Sensitivity | 830nm |
| Exposure Energy | 110-130mj/c㎡ |
| Developing Condition: | 24-28℃, 25-35S |
| Safe-light | 2 hours under white light |
| Resolution | 1-99% at 200lpi |
| Run Length |
50, 000-100, 000 copies(Unbaked), 100, 000-200, 000 copies(Baked) *Run Length varies with its printing conditions and imaging content, including paper, ink) |
| Shelf Life | 18 Months |
| Storage Conditions |
Temperature 10-25℃, 40%-60% humidity Keep away from sunlight and humidity. Pack height＜1.5 meters |
Positive Thermal CTP Plates are mainly classified into four types based on the type of thermal coating: single-layer coating, double-layer coating, triple-layer coating, and process-less plates. Each type of plate has its unique advantages and application scenarios. Users can select the most suitable plate based on their actual production needs, budget, environmental requirements, and image quality demands.
Process-less plates are an innovative eco-friendly product that reduces traditional chemical processing steps and costs, making them suitable for specific printing tasks.
| Product Name | Coating Type | Features | Application Area |
| Thermal CTP Plate (Single-layer) | Single-layer coating | Only one layer of photosensitive coating | General advertising printing |
| Image area completely ablated after exposure, revealing the substrate | Newspaper publishing | ||
| Suitable for general printing applications | Printing tasks with lower image quality requirements | ||
| Thermal CTP Plate (Double-layer) | Double-layer coating | Two layers of photosensitive coating: base layer + image layer | Packaging printing |
| Enhanced image quality and durability | Book and magazine printing | ||
| Suitable for high-quality commercial printing | High-quality commercial printing | ||
| Thermal CTP Plate (Triple-layer) | Triple-layer coating | Three layers of coating: base layer + image layer + protective layer | High-end commercial printing |
| Increased scratch resistance and durability | Industrial printing with high durability requirements | ||
| Suitable for high-demand applications | Printing tasks in extreme environments | ||
| Thermal CTP Plate (Process-less) | Process-less plate | No need for traditional chemical processing such as developing or washing | Eco-friendly printing tasks |
| Environmentally friendly, simplified process, low cost | Simple advertising printing | ||
| Suitable for specific printing tasks | Cost-sensitive printing tasks |
Thermal CTP Plate (Single-layer)
The Thermal CTP Plate (Single-layer) features a single-layer photosensitive coating structure. After exposure, the image area is completely ablated, revealing the substrate. This design is simple and cost-effective, making it suitable for general printing applications. With only one layer of coating, it is typically used for everyday printing tasks with lower image quality requirements, such as general advertising printing and newspaper publishing. The advantage of single-layer plates is their cost-effectiveness, making them ideal for users with limited budgets and lower demands for image quality and durability.
Thermal CTP Plate (Double Layer)
The Thermal CTP Plate (Double Layer) uses a two-layer coating structure, with the bottom layer serving as a protective coating and the image layer carrying the actual print image. This design significantly improves the plate's image quality and durability, making it more suitable for commercial printing and high-quality printing needs. Double-layer plates can withstand longer use and resist abrasion more effectively than single-layer plates, making them widely used in packaging printing, book and magazine printing, and other high-demand printing projects, meeting the higher standards for image accuracy and print longevity.
Thermal CTP Plate (Triple Layer)
The Thermal CTP Plate (Triple Layer) is a high-end product in thermal CTP plates, featuring a three-layer coating structure: a base layer, an image layer, and a protective layer. This design enhances the plate's scratch resistance and durability, allowing it to endure more intense use, particularly in extreme printing conditions. Triple-layer plates provide excellent image quality and continue to perform exceptionally even under long-term, high-intensity conditions, making them ideal for high-end commercial printing, industrial applications, and precision printing in special environments.
Thermal CTP Plate (Process-less)
The Thermal CTP Plate (Process-less) is an innovative eco-friendly product that eliminates the need for traditional developing and washing steps, thereby removing the chemical processing stage. This plate directly exposes and prints the image using thermal technology, significantly simplifying the workflow and reducing production costs. Process-less plates are not only environmentally friendly but also suitable for printing tasks with high environmental requirements, such as simple advertisements and flyers, especially for budget-conscious printing tasks with lower demands for image quality.
In CTP technology, image information is first generated by a computer and then exposed onto the thermal CTP plate using a laser or ultraviolet light.
After exposure, the unexposed areas retain the coating and become ink-accepting regions, while the exposed areas lose their coating and become water-accepting regions, similar to the traditional oil-water separation principle.
After exposure, the process usually involves washing off the exposed portions, leaving behind the printable image, thus completing the creation of the printing plate.
Positive thermal CTP plates are widely used in commercial printing, packaging printing, and newspaper printing, offering significant advantages in terms of high-quality printing results, accelerated production processes, reduced environmental impact, and lower plate-making costs.
| Application Area | Advantages | Specific Applications |
| Commercial Printing | Provides high-quality images and quick plate-making, improving production efficiency and consistency. | Suitable for high-precision printing projects such as books, magazines, and advertising brochures. |
| Packaging Printing | Provides high-precision printing, adapts to various materials, and shortens production cycles. | Used for customized packaging printing for food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. |
| Newspaper Printing | Supports high-speed printing while maintaining image quality, reducing production costs. | Suitable for high-frequency, large-volume newspaper and news publication printing. |
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