CTP: Computer To Plate

CTP technology or Computer to Plate is a recent (not to recent, but compared to hundreds of offset printing, it is recent) development on Offset printing Prepress.

The main idea of this new invention is to bypass a process in printing, which is filming and plate developing into one single process with higher quality outcome. aIn traditional way the process in offset printing:

1. Designing / Image Editing (Computer)
2. Filming: Create a separated film of each color.
3. Plate Development: Create a plate from film that created.
4. Printing

In CTP the process is much simpler:

1. Designing / Image editing (Computer)
2. Plate Development
3. Printing.

This is good news for printing industry (printing company)  but not to company that open a filming service. But this technology is quite pricey, so not all printing company able to afford the expensive setup cost.

How Much it cost then? Well, CTP setup will cost at least USD 100,000.00 – USD 200,000.00

And why would a printing company want to trow away this money?

1. To save time in production, that also mean save money, cause printing industry is all about time efficiency, if you do it quicker, it will recduce cost on man power, electricity, you can get bigger order and project.
2. Quality. This not always the main objective on some printing company, but with better quality of plate, means less  inceed (i don’t know what it call in english).

So basicly this is just print directly to the plate. (very simple idea, indeed)

Some of the consideration to decide to use this technology.

1. If you print alot of design, such as Magazine and Newspaper, this technology is for you, Why? because you will save alot in film cost.
2. If you print high quality packaging, with alot of new design, you need this technology too. Because the precision of this film will significantly increase your printing quality.
3. If you print alot short print (less than 10.000 print per order) this is for you.

Cons of CTP:

well. this is still new technology, this CTP Plate is not very strong, it even have worse durability than average Cheap China Plate, to make it more durable you have to add another process, which is “Baking” the plate using Plate Oven. (this ussually included when you buy/setup CTP).

CTP mechine is really hard to setup. i mean people who sell it make it hard to setup (ussually) so you can only buy the plate you setup with, that means monopoly.

(Invitation to mechine seller… Sell CTP and you can have a passive income all year)

Will this “really” give lower cost, and make my company save more money ?

In long term, Yes it will… unless new technology come. and it already come (LOL)

it’s called Computer To Plate too, but not using special plate like CTP but it use regular plate with almost the same quality with CTP.

CTP Plate cost around 5 times than average china production plate, so even when you are not using film, the average cost is almost the same.

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