CTP--Still Testing the Waters

Processless Plates
"Processless does reduce costs associated with maintaining a processor and the chemistry involved," Richardson continues. "However, this additional cost savings is small compared to the benefits already possible on-press."

Richardson reports that, based on Creo's experience, processless plates will perform every bit as well as the current crop of conventional plates, and they will be drop-in compatible with Creo's thermal platesetters. As such, Richardson predicts, a wholesale switch to thermal and thermal processless materials is possible—in fact, eventual, resulting in the processless utopia for prepress within the next decade.