Agfa Graphics today announced the worldwide launch of its new Azura TE plate, described by the Belgian imaging giant as a chemistry-free, direct-on-press product aimed at commercial sheetfed applications.
As the Azura TE plates are cleaned out on-press, Agfa explains the system requires no processor, no chemistry and no water. The company continues to explain its Azura TE product behaves very similarly to a traditionally processed or chemistry-free plate, limiting the variables in pressroom operations, including immediate ink acceptance.
“In fact, a direct-on-press plate is ready for use after exposing on the platesetter. On top, Azura TE shows an outstanding image contrast thanks to our patented Thermochromic Dye technology,” said Guy Desmet, Head of Prepress Marketing for Agfa Graphics. “That makes visual inspection easy and means that dot measurements or plate detection can be done with standard devices. In addition, Azura TE has an excellent daylight stability, which comes in handy if the plates cannot be mounted on the press immediately.”
As with other ThermoFuse products in the Azura plate line, Azura TE support up to 240 lines per inch with Sublima screening. Launched in 2004, ThermoFuse technology works with a single-layer water-based coating, containing ink-accepting latex pearls, which allow for sharp highlight reproduction.
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