CTP FIELD REPORTS -- Set to Compete

Burns credits the plate technology for the system's compactness. The plates are completely daylight-safe, he notes, which eliminated the shop's need for a light-sensitive room. After imaging, a water bath is all that is required to get the plates ready for press, he adds.

"We save between 10 and 15 percent of the cost of the plate by eliminating chemicals and the work involved in maintaining them. The system is a lot more cost-effective than conventional platemaking, even considering the higher cost of the plate," Burns says. The fact that the Anthem thermal plates don't require pre- or post-baking adds to the cost and floor space savings, he notes.