First Thermal Plate Tests at Tech Alert '98

Eight thermal plate manufacturers submitted a total of 11 different plates to GATF for its first study in comparing various print-related characteristics. The detailed report is expected to be published in mid-March.

Attendees at the conference were in agreement that thermal plates offer the highest resolution of the currently available digital plates. The fact that almost every manufacturer is offering thermal upgrades to their platesetters further reinforced the common presumption here.