DIGITAL PLATES -- Shortcutting the Process

"It's not that simple of a challenge," he says. "Every decade or so, there's been a no-process plate put on the market. For whatever reasons, none has ever made it."

Laser imaging does make the challenge a more reasonable proposition, Weitoff notes. KPG has been working on switchable polymer, or phase change, technology and "development-on-press" plates. "We're optimistic about those (develop-on-press plates)," he adds.