CTP--Still Testing the Waters

As for thermal CTP delivering prepress utopia, the common theme tends to be that thermal CTP's true impact hinges on the real-time arrival of processless materials. Creo's Richardson finds this is a rather strange phenomenon.

"The combination of thermal CTP with today's plates offers more than conventional and visible-light platemaking methods," the thermal advocate argues. "With thermal, independent of the process control on-press, there are simple processors and pour-down-the-drain chemistry, as well as daylight handling.