Digital Imaging Versus Computer-to-Plate

Agfa is one of the biggest names in CTP and the dominant supplier of this technology in the newspaper market, with many thousands of devices installed. The company reports continuous growth in their CTP installed based. According to Tony King, Marketing Manager Visible Light Plates, “CTP adoption continues to grow rapidly, with the growth emphasis on thermal and violet technology. We see an increasingly strong trend towards simple ‘chemistry free’ technologies which offer wide latitude and even simpler performance [and] maintenance.” Agfa has never been involved with Direct Imaging presses however, King says that “on-press [imaging] doesn’t have the same mainstream appeal that CTP does, perhaps the view remains that printers continue to prefer to use their press just for printing with the plate imaging being done off-line in a dedicated platesetter.”