CTP - Computer to Plate
FFEI to highlight advanced imaging technologies, including new additions to Alinte CTP range at Drupa 2008
Friday 18. April 2008 - New entry-level 8 page commercial CTP solution Forward commitment of 300 units Alinte News - capable of 225 Berliner plates per hour "Powered by FFEI" - highlighting the FFEI technology behind some of the markets most innovative products
At Drupa 2008 (Hall 7a, B19), FFEI will show its latest developments in computer-to-plate technology for both commercial and Newspaper production.
As the integrators and creative expertise behind many of the markets most innovative products, other FFEI technologies will also feature on several partner stands, with demonstrations and market updates provided on their own stand.
New Alinte 8 Page
The new Alinte 8 Page CTP solution has been specifically designed for B1 printers moving into CTP for the first time or as a cost-effective solution for printers with a range of 2, 4 and 8-page press formats.
The Alinte 8 Page is based on the hugely successful Violet internal drum products already manufactured by FFEI and boasting several thousand installations. It employs the same drum and optics technology, but is manually loaded to provide a highly cost-effective solution for plates sizes up to 1070 mm x 850 mm.
According to Linda Beal, Sales and Marketing Director, FFEI, “Although CTP is now an established solution in many regions, printers with film-based workflows are now ready to make the move and even leapfrog into next generation imaging with chemistry-free plates. The fact that we have 300 forward order commitments for this entry level unit is a clear indication of continued market growth.”
Branded in the new FFEI colours and style, the Alinte 8 Page delivers up to 20 plates per hour, with six standard resolutions to cover a wide variety of work. With many elements taken from proven products, the design focus of the Alinte 8 Page has been economy and ease of use. The result not only allows printers to move to CTP with minimal investment in both hardware and training, but also to be reassured of the quality and reliability pedigree of the technology.
Alinte News matches trend towards hybrid newspaper printing
The Alinte News Ultimate is the top-of-the-range, high speed Newspaper CTP solution, boasting 225 Berliner-sized plates per hour. With two other models in the range capable of 120, 175 plates per hour, the Alinte News series provides solutions for national, regional and contract Newspaper printers.
Designed for simplicity, speed and reliability, the Alinte News series employs unique hybrid drum technology, combining the qualities of internal drum with the speed and simplicity of a straight-through plate path employed in flatbed designs. New optics, that ensure spot integrity over the entire maximum plate size of 635 x 930 mm, provide pin-sharp imaging, making Alinte News suitable for all applications. This includes the trend towards mixed heatset/coldset production with its more rigorous demands on image quality.
Advanced imaging technologies
FFEI is one of the leading suppliers of Violet computer to plate technologies to world markets, manufacturing products for Fujifilm, and more recently the leading Chinese Graphics supplier Beijing Founder Electronics. It prides itself in working with established partners and developing competitive solutions that meet the future needs of the market.
“This will be our first Drupa as an independent company,” confirms Andy Cook, Managing Director, FFEI. “We will show our own range of products but also jointly those developed with industry-leading partners in the areas of inkjet, UV coating and prepress software. Over the past few years we have been investing very heavily in building a strong technology portfolio. We see drupa as a key opportunity to grow existing partnerships and build new alliances to enable printers to exploit the benefits of the very latest technologies.”