
Comparative analysis of PS and CTP printing plate processes
2025-07-03
Comparative analysis of PS and CTP printing plate processes
1、 Core difference
Principle of plate making:
PS plate needs to be exposed to film (UV light source) and then developed
CTP plate, computer-controlled laser imaging directly on the plate without the need for film
Plate making process:
PS plate, film output → plate exposure → development → printing
CTP plate, digital file → laser exposure → development → printing
resolving power:
PS plate, lower (usually ≤ 200 lpi due to film limitations)
CTP plate, higher (laser precise imaging, up to 300 lpi or more)
Restoration of branches:
PS plate, susceptible to the influence of film and printing process, with blurred dot edges
CTP plate, with sharp dots and smoother transitions in layers
Environmental friendliness:
PS plate, requires chemical film, with significant pollution
CTP plate, no film, reduces chemical waste (some require developer solution)
2、 Comparison of production processes
PS version process
Coating: Aluminum substrate is coated with photosensitive adhesive (diazo compound) after electrolytic oxidation.
Exposure: Exposure occurs in the photosensitive part of the film through ultraviolet light.
Development: Alkaline solution dissolves the unexposed part to form a graphic and textual area.
Defects: The film is prone to scratches and dirt caused by dust, and the stability of the process depends on manual experience.
CTP plate process
Types: divided into thermal sensitive (infrared laser) and photosensitive (purple laser).
Exposure: The digital file directly drives the laser to image on the plate, with an accuracy of micrometer level.
Development: Some models of thermal sensitive plates are exempt from chemical treatment (such as Kodak Tengger Edition).
Advantages: Process automation, reducing human error, suitable for high-precision printing (such as packaging and art).
3、 Process optimization of Chuangda Printing Equipment Group
PS plate improvement
Adopting nano grit technology to enhance the hydrophilicity of aluminum based materials and reduce ink stains.
Develop high-sensitivity photosensitive adhesive to reduce exposure time by 30% (such as the Chuangda PS-3000 series).
CTP plate innovation
Green plate making: Promote process free CTP plates (such as the Chuangda CD-RM series), reducing developer usage by 70%.
Intelligent calibration: Built in AI algorithm compensates for laser energy fluctuations to ensure uniformity of network points.
Cost balance plan
Introducing a hybrid plate making line for small and medium-sized printing factories, with CTP equipment compatible with PS plate washing, reducing transformation costs.
4、 Selection suggestions
PS plate is suitable for short live parts, low precision promotional materials, and existing equipment in traditional printing factories.
CTP plate is suitable for long printing, high network cable count (175 lpi or more), and fast cycle orders (such as newspapers and magazines).
Chuangda's analysis points out that CTP plate is the mainstream in the future, but PS plate still has cost advantages in specific markets. Enterprises need to make comprehensive choices based on their own order structure and equipment investment capabilities, while paying attention to the trend of environmental regulations restricting traditional plate making.
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Working principle and advantages analysis of CTP plate making machine
2025-07-03
1、 CTP working principle
Digital file input
Receive digital files such as PDF and PS generated by design software (such as Adobe Illustrator and InDesign), and convert them into high-precision dot data through RIP (raster image processor).
Plate exposure imaging
Laser technology: using infrared laser (thermal sensitive) or purple laser (photopolymerization) and other light sources to accurately expose the surface of the printing plate based on graphic and textual data.
Thermal version: Laser heating causes a chemical reaction in the coating, forming an oleophilic graphic area.
Photopolymerization version: UV laser triggers polymerization reaction to generate graphic and textual parts with high printing resistance.
Precise positioning: The movement of the laser head is controlled by a high-precision servo motor to ensure the accuracy of the dot restoration (such as 2400dpi or above).
Post processing of printing plates
Part of the plate material needs to be developed (chemically or treated with water) to remove the unexposed parts, and after drying, it can be printed on the machine.
2、 The core technological advantages of Chuangda CTP
High precision imaging system
Using imported lasers and optical components, it supports 1% -99% dot reduction, with a minimum dot diameter of ≤ 10 μ m, ensuring fine printing layers.
Intelligent automation design
Automatic up and down plate, laser energy calibration, focal length adjustment and other functions reduce manual intervention, and the plate making speed can reach 30 sheets per hour (for double-sided).
Strong compatibility of plate materials
Supports thermal sensitivity UV、 Mainstream printing materials such as photopolymerization are suitable for different printing needs (such as commercial printing and thick packaging).
Green and environmentally friendly
Low energy consumption design, some models support chemical free plate materials to reduce waste liquid emissions.
3、 Value created for customers
Reduce cost and increase efficiency
Save film costs and processing time, shorten plate making cycle by 70%, suitable for short version fast printing orders.
The printing plate has a printing capacity of over 200000 prints (such as thermal plates), reducing downtime during plate changes.
Improve printing quality
The network points are sharp and distortion free, supporting FM screening to achieve high fidelity color reproduction.
Long term service support
Chuangda provides 24-hour technical response, regular equipment maintenance, and operation training to ensure customers' sustained profitability.
4、 Application scenarios
Commercial printing: reproduction of fine network points for picture books and magazines.
Packaging printing: spot color printing, precision control of thick cardboard registration.
Newspaper printing: high-speed plate making (100+split sheets per hour).
Chuangda Printing Equipment Group integrates independent research and development with international supply chain to create stable and efficient CTP solutions, helping printing enterprises transform towards digitalization and intelligence. If you need customized configuration or technical demonstration, please feel free to contact our engineering team.
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Spring Festival Holiday Notice
2025-01-20
Spring Festival Holiday Notice
Dear Customers,
We would like to express our gratitude for your support throughout the year!
Please kindly note that we will be on Spring Festival holiday from Jan 28td to Feb 4th and will resume operations on Feb 5th. Please arrange your purchase plan accordingly to avoid any inconvenience.
We look forward to continuing our collaboration with you and wish you a prosperous new year!
During the holiday.We will process any customer information at any time.
Chuangda(shenzhen) Printing Equipment Co.,Ltd
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What is thermal sensitive CTP technology
2023-06-26
The so-called CTP technology refers to the abbreviation of computer to CTPlate, CTPress, CTProof, CTPaper/Print, and CTcP. The CTP commonly referred to in the current printing industry is from computer to printing plate (CTPlate), which uses a computer to digitize, integrate, and proofread the original image and text on the printing plate, directly imaging them, and then making a printing plate through post-processing processes such as development or no post-processing. CTP technology can be divided into photosensitive CTP technology (visible light, purple laser, UV light) and thermosensitive CTP technology. Below, we will focus on thermosensitive CTP technology.
1、 Classification of thermal sensitive CTP technology
Thermal CTP technology can be divided into the following categories according to the plate material:
(1) Thermal ablation type; (2) Thermal cross-linked plate (preheating type, negative pattern type); (3) Thermal decomposition type plate material (no preheating treatment, positive pattern type); (4) Heat transfer plate material; (5) Thermal induced phase change plate material.
2、 Imaging principle of thermal sensitive CTP technology
Thermosensitive CTP mainly utilizes thermal imaging technology to achieve changes in material properties by relying on changes in the state of the material after the printing plate material absorbs heat.
(1) Thermal ablation type
1. Plate composition
This type of plate is composed of a silicone exclusion layer, a photothermal conversion layer (absorption layer), a hydrophilic layer, and a substrate (as shown in Figure 1).
2. Imaging Principles
The main function of the photothermal conversion layer is to absorb the light energy emitted by infrared lasers and effectively convert the absorbed light energy into thermal energy, causing the temperature of the layout to rise to the level of vaporization temperature. The photothermal conversion layer in the visible area vaporizes under the action of thermal energy, and the corresponding silicone exclusion layer in the corresponding position is removed with the vaporization of the photothermal conversion layer under the action of heat, exposing the hydrophilic oil layer below to become the part of the printing plate that receives the ink; The photothermal conversion layer in the non visible area did not undergo vaporization, and the corresponding silicone exclusion layer did not change, forming the blank part of the printing plate (as shown in Figure 2).
3. Base
The substrate of this type of plate can be either a metal substrate (such as aluminum substrate) or a flexible polymer substrate (such as polyester substrate), which has a wide adaptability. This type of plate material is particularly suitable for in machine direct plate making systems because it can be printed after laser imaging.
Although this type of plate is also a direct plate that does not require post-processing, necessary measures need to be taken to dispose of it during the imaging process due to the generation of ablation vapor and debris, otherwise it will cause pollution to the imaging optics and the environment.
(2) Thermal cross-linked plate (preheating type, negative pattern type)
1. Plate composition
The thermal cross-linked plate is composed of a thermosensitive coating and a hydrophilic substrate. Thermal sensitive coatings are generally composed of (alkaline) water-soluble film-forming resins (phenolic resins), thermal crosslinking agents, and infrared dyes; The hydrophilic version can use the same aluminum version as the traditional PS version (as shown in Figure 3).
2. Imaging Principles
The Work of Infrared Dyes
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CTP plate material and its production method
2023-06-26
Computer To Plate (CTP) is one of the major trends in the development of printing technology in the first decade of the 21st century. It refers to the process of directly outputting digital pages onto printing plates through computers. CTP Computer to plate is composed of three parts: accurate and complex optical system, circuit system and mechanical system. The three parts are relatively independent, strictly coordinated and unified. This technology not only eliminates the need for traditional plate making processes such as laser phototypesetting and manual assembly and printing of soft films, but also saves equipment and materials required for intermediate processes. It avoids the drawbacks of dot loss, deformation, and expansion, reduces color and layer loss, and shortens the ink color adjustment and registration adjustment time and ink balance time during the printing process, greatly improving product quality and work efficiency. Since Autoligic developed the first computer direct plate making equipment in 1989, major equipment companies and printing manufacturers around the world have closely cooperated to accelerate the development pace of this technology research and gradually reached a mature and industrialized application level. Heidelberg, a world-famous printing equipment provider, and Pressek jointly developed the computer to plate on press technology and launched GTO-DI in 1991, becoming the first equipment in the world to make plates on a printing machine. At the DRUPA95 printing exhibition, the display of CTP system and direct plate making materials became the hottest technological highlights, indicating that the research on computer direct plate making technology has matured and entered the market.
CTP plate, also known as Computer To Plate, is a digital plate that can be directly made by a computer. Compared with the plate making process CTF of traditional PS plate, CTP plate has the advantage of short process flow, which can greatly improve the printing quality and shorten the production cycle, thus saving Labor burden. CTP plates can be divided into thermal sensitive, photosensitive, and silver salt based on their photosensitive principle.
The hot-rolled plate base mainly produced using the hot-rolled process. CTP plates produced using hot-rolled plates have inherent advantages over cast rolled plates due to their sufficient guarantee of tissue uniformity, as well as better control of surface quality and dimensional tolerances. In contrast, CTP plates produced using cast rolled plate substrates are prone to internal microstructure and surface defects due to production process conditions. During the production process of CTP plates (such as electrolysis, oxidation, coating, etc.), defects may occur, resulting in unstable quality. However, producing CTP plates based on cast rolled plates can reduce production costs, improve product cost-effectiveness, and enhance product market competitiveness.
At present, CTP plates are still produced using hot-rolled plates, and the technology for producing CTP plates using cast rolled plates is not yet mature. If CTP plates can be produced using cast rolled plates, it can fill the domestic and even international gap. How to use casting and rolling plate base and improve the electrolysis, oxidation, and coating processes to produce high-quality CTP plates has become a challenge for technology professionals
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