The latest addition to Kodak’s highly automated thermal CTP portfolio for newspapers, the Achieve News Platesetter, “delivers the stability and reliability of Kodak’s thermal CTP technology at an affordable cost, enabling publishers to print exceptional quality and consistent, vibrant colour images to attract both readers and advertisers,” said the OEM. Available worldwide in early 2018, it includes several features that drive more speed, efficiency and control into the platemaking process, while also improving an operation’s sustainability. Equipped with Kodak’s TH5 thermal head, the platesetters offer newspapers a stable and precise imaging system without the process variations found in visible light and UV systems. The result is efficient platemaking and excellent print quality, said Kodak.
While the Achieve News Platesetter is targeted for small or medium-sized newspaper publishers, offering a throughput of up to 54 plates per hour, several automation options are available to help each newspaper operation streamline production and maximize efficiency. The new Multi-Cassette Unit (MCU) offers automated plate loading and unloading of up to 960 plates – so that newspaper printers can run continuously for longer. Other automation options include the Single-Cassette Unit (SCU), Autoloader, Auto-Unload, or Semi-Automatic. In addition to being fully compatible with Kodak Sonora News Plates that eliminate the environmental impact of processing, the new platesetter reduces power consumption to only 400 watts while imaging – equivalent to the power usage of just a few light bulbs. It also allows printers to save floorspace because of the machine’s compact footprint and the elimination of the processing equipment.
“Kodak is committed to investing in technology that equips newspaper printers with the tools they need to succeed today and prosper into the future,” said Brad Kruchten, President of Kodak’s Print Systems Division. “From our latest CTPs to our comprehensive portfolio of plate options, we’re focused on making it easy for newspapers to reduce costs, streamline their operations and become more sustainable.”
Over 16 years ago, Kodak introduced the first thermal CTP solutions for the newspaper market. Today, nearly 2,500 Kodak Thermal Newspaper Computer-To-Plate systems are installed across the globe.