DIGITAL PLATES -- Shortcutting the Process

Switchable polymer technology falls short on that last count, since it requires use of special inks and fountain solutions, Weitoff says. "Also, the visibility of the image after exposure is not so great and the length of run is limited."

Even given those limitations, "both avenues look interesting to us," the KPG exec says. "I expect we'll have a plate on the market sometime in 2004. Which one we market is still being tested and debated. We may even commercialize both."