What is processless platemaking?
JAMES: It’s a new process for making printing plates. In platemaking the image is transferred to the plate using heat, a thermal process. Traditional plates are developed using an acid solution; with the processless plates no developer is needed, cutting out a process step and and eliminating this hazardous waste STUART: Can you give us any other examples? JAMES: Isopropanol is a solvent which contributes to smog and can cause lung irritation. It is used in printing to help the fount solution to wet the printing plate, you may hear it referred to as IPA. The fount solution wets the non-image areas of the printing plate and repels the ink. Anyway, printers have substantially reduced the amount of IPA used in the fount solution from levels of 10 or 15% down to 4 to 8% or less. They’ve done this by changing the fount solution and making other minor adjustments to the presses. Some can run with IPA-free fount solutions. STUART: What is “waterless” printing? JAMES: It is a different plate t
