Prepress

Kodak Brings Benefits of SONORA XP and SONORA NEWS Process Free Plates to the Americas

Monday 08. October 2012 - Kodak sets a new standard in digital plate innovation today in the Americas with the introduction of KODAK SONORA XP Process Free Plates for commercial, publishing and packaging printers and KODAK SONORA NEWS Process Free Plates for newspaper printers at Graph Expo 2012.

With SONORA XP and SONORA NEWS Process Free Plates, the entire plate processing environment – chemistry, water, processor, energy and waste related to the processing step – is completely eliminated. That means that SONORA XP and SONORA NEWS Plates can go immediately to press, where a state-of-the-art coating and the physical properties of the lithographic press prepare the plate for print during normal start-up procedures.
SONORA XP Plates offer high-quality thermal imaging and because they are process free, they offer streamlined and simplified platemaking, reduced operational costs and labor, and greater overall prepress efficiency than processed plates. In addition to providing the same reliability and accuracy expected of traditionally processed thermal plates, SONORA XP Plates go a step further to improve the image stability and consistency of printed materials by eliminating processing variability. SONORA XP Plates further extend and enhance the benefits of process-free plates with specific advantages such as better run lengths and a wider variety of sizes and gauges – which expands the applications range over other plates in similar categories.
Miami Valley Publishing of Fairborn, Ohio, has been using SONORA XP Plates for more than two years and has committed to a fully process-free workflow – removing all processors and chemistry from the facility. “After a period of testing, we determined that the performance and benefits were exactly right for our business,” noted Dan Stahl, Miami Valley Publishing’s owner. “We’ve been able to eliminate all processing and the maintenance and variability that go along with that, while also enjoying faster plate production. Our customers have been very happy with the results.” Miami Valley Publishing primarily produces free-standing inserts in runs from thousands to millions.
SONORA XP and SONORA NEWS Process Free Plates offer similar run length, imaging speed, and quality capabilities to the mainstream processed plates that most printers are currently using, plus deliver the benefits of reducing cost and environmental impact that come from being process free.
“In talking with printers across the U.S. and Canada, we constantly hear that they want to do what’s right for the environment, but more importantly need to do what’s right for their business,” said Todd Bigger, Kodak’s Worldwide Product Management Director. “SONORA Plates offer customers a unique solution for aligning their business goals and prepress needs with their environmental position.”
SONORA NEWS Plates are the only process-free plates designed for newspaper applications and are well suited for use with the KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS and KODAK GENERATION NEWS Platesetters. Running on the GENERATION NEWS Platesetter, X-speed, SONORA NEWS Plates image at up to 240 plates per hour, fast enough for some of the largest newspaper operations. Working well in both manual and highly automated platemaking environments, SONORA NEWS Plates enable newspaper printers to get their jobs to press fast by eliminating the time and hassles of traditional processing. The plates reduce the potential variability associated with processing and provide printers with stable imaging and repeatability. SONORA NEWS Plates also help reduce costs and save both the money and space that printers typically allocate to processing chemistry and equipment. In addition, SONORA NEWS Plates can be used with vision punch benders from a variety of vendors, including NELA, Glunz & Jensen, and Burgess.
Zero Hora, one of the largest newspaper publishers in Brazil, recently installed a GENERATION NEWS Platesetter and chose to run SONORA NEWS Plates for a prepress solution that provides quality, productivity, and reduced environmental impact. Zero Hora’s Industrial Director Péricles Cenço explained, “We believe the fact that Kodak’s CTP solution allows a 100 percent chemical-free process shows it is in line with our group’s values about sustainability.” The big thing for Zero Hora, beyond sustainability, is productivity. Péricles noted, “We are differentiated with our print quality without losing productivity in prepress.”
“SONORA Plates are a compelling solution for commercial and large web publication printers looking to maximize the profitability of their offset business,” added Bigger. “When combined with our workflow, platesetters and other components of the complete offset solution that Kodak offers, SONORA Plates extend our commitment to helping customers maximize operational efficiencies and achieve the lowest total cost of operations.”
SONORA XP Plates will be running live on Kodak’s stand at Graph Expo in conjunction with the new KODAK TRENDSETTER 1600 Platesetter for visitors who would like to learn more about this exciting innovation.