CTF inkjet vs Photo film
A matured new application for film making
(Up to 175 lpi 1% dot reproduction good for color jobs)
Hilson Huang / NozzleBlack CEO
Although CTP (Computer To Plate making) is widely used in offset printing industry for years, but it is not all of the offset printers are using this CTP system. Conventional offset printing machine still needs to make positive film first for PS plate image exposure. How can these conventional offset printers are able to enjoy this new digital inkjet technology for their plate making especially when photo film is facing termination and price of it is getting higher and higher day by day due to fewer and fewer photographic film manufacturer in the market.
By using photo film, the expensive investment of equipment such as image setter, film processor are too huge a sum for them to put in, though second hand CTP machine retired from offset is cheaper but it is facing another problem: termination of production and discontinuing supply of parts ... which means not only no more hardware maintenance but also any after service is available.
This will be a nightmare for all existing photo film users which they have to face in near future before it is too late. Fortunately, due to new technology of inkjet nozzle development with improved RIP software for fine dot reproduction the inkjet film making is ripe and mature for the industry now. Users only have to do more adjustment of their mind that black image is no longer to be made by photographic film any more.
No more developer, no more fixer (no chemicals) with no expensive investments for equipment as well as maintenance and electric power consumption, most important advantage is that due to use of no chemical it is very green and friendly to our environment.
Case 1
There is an offset printing factory YF in Tainan which is in the south part of Taiwan, they relied on outsourcing of film to make PS plate for their Roland 200 / Roland 700 and Komori S40 printing machine. Now they are using NozzleBlack inkjet printer making their own film with NozzleBlack PS-RIP software since beginning of 2014, doing wonderful jobs in big size (and the size is accurate in registration) at very low cost for their routine works, the boss is very happy with this inkjet film making system.
This big size printer operate with NozzleBlack PS-RIP special and fine image forming technology can accept HQ-RIP with 1 bit TIFF signal through ink drop control from Adobe in order to distribute ink accurately on film in accordance with the size directly. The size can be from A4 to 1118mm in width and limitless in length.
Case 2
SH is a plate trade shop in New Taipei city, they have relied on out sourcing of the negative film for a long time so they have paid much more attentions to the inkjet CTF. But the fact they have seen is that when the printer works smoothly, it is good, but once it break down there comes the problem and almost has to stop for a long time. The reason is that most of the system sold in the market:
printer / RIP / ink / film always happen different problem and separately, there seems no one is integrated all together in a package.
Mr. Su, the boss with his wife they want very much to have their own CTF system for film making. Now they are having the concordance from a vender who supply with RIP / Ink / Film which are all certificated by the printer maker,
When Mr. & Mrs. Su are enjoying the quality negative as good as photo film with high opaque black density made by them self, meantime they are also enjoy the wonderful after sales service from the printer dealer for they are using all the materials certificated by the manufacturer. Now they do not have to worry about printer out of order or break down at all.
Case 3
WG co. is a color label printer especially for electronic field which is a most quality demanding printing job of 175 lpi and 1% reproduction in label industry, due to heavy investment of a digital CTP equipment and peripheral machine, they do not want to invest so much.
RIP of NozzleBlack is created by a group of engineers who have at least 20 years of practical experience of color separation and screening who knows what are the difference and important points for an inkjet film user from the beginning when they organize the software in addition to the fine dot reproduction and sharp image. The boss Mr. Tsen is very happy with the results of negative made by inkjet printer now.
In Korea
Most inkjet film maker in Korea are using SC-T3050 printer for the job, they use RIP software buying from market by which the opaque density is OK can be used for certain jobs but they find:
1. Fine image and small dot could not be reproduced precisely so that still could not be used as good as photographic film and substitute it. The inkjet film quality have to be improved and to be accepted at least as good as a film from image setter otherwise it will be no potential at all.
2. As mentioned the black density is enough for exposure, but the problem is that about 50% of the exposure UV was absorbed by the prima coated on the film in order to receive black ink well, therefore they have to prolong the exposure time 2 or 3 times than photo film but still failed sometimes for the fine image areas.
At the beginning of 2014, Korean dealers visited us for the purpose of improving their inkjet film quality for more black density and pursuit finer reproduction up to 175 lpi 1% dot for the highlight area of label printing.
Now even flexible packaging flexo and gravure printers start to use our RIP-PS and consumables.
In Japan
Many people in Japan use PX-H9000 PX-H7000 and PX-H6550 printer with RIP capable for color separation and screening with 100% single black ink cartridge, the opaque density is acceptable but find the font is changed especially when the character is small and critical, changes in height and thickness of font happen in big character as for corrugated printing maybe not a problem but could not be accepted by photo film users for it was never happened before. Dealers in Japan is very eager to find a good RIP for this purpose in order to be able to print 175 lpi 1% dot reproduction with unchanged font and stability in big sized film.
In Osaka area, there is an user they measure length of every inkjet film by using the scale on the width of the printer to check for the accuracy then make plate. This is proving that both multi-color registration and size stability is as good as photo film.
The cost of inkjet film making can save you about USD 7.00 - 8.00 per square meter (total inkjet film cost is 50-60% of photo film), say if you make 12 m2 film everyday it will save you USD 25,000.- in a year, thus you will have the printer investment returned in half a year. In addition to the PS plate making, multiple usages such as photopolymer / hot stamping / flexo / vanish / embossing and screen printing all after print converting jobs can be also applied. At the end of 2014 YF company has invested a 2nd system for the growing demands. This is proving that inkjet film making is satisfactory and the era of digital film making by inkjet is really opening.
