Epson redefines quality and cost of computer-to-plate printing with Epson DirectPlate Aluminium

Epson has changed forever the quality, speed and cost of computer-to-plate technology for small to medium commercial printers with the launch of Epson DirectPlate Aluminium, an all-new high-resolution aluminium press plate prepared using standard Epson UltraChrome® HDR Ink.

Epson DirectPlate Aluminium has many advantages over polyester plates including producing sharper and better quality prints, being faster and more efficient from image separations to press, is more affordable and more cost-effective to operate, better energy efficiency, virtually no maintenance costs, and reduces health and environmental impacts.

This unique water-based plate-making system enables true aluminium lithographic printing press plates to be created in a few minutes on an Epson printer with plate resolutions up to 175 lines per inch (lpi), producing extremely sharp text and line art over press runs up to 20,000 impressions.

It is perfect for one and two colour print jobs, delivering better solids and cleaner halftones than typical polyester plates.

As Epson DirectPlate Aluminium is a completely water-based plate-making system with no chemical processing required, the process is safer for plate makers and has less impact on the local environment than polyester plates.

Epson is launching Epson DirectPlate Aluminium with a new Epson Stylus Pro 7900CTP system, the first printer to incorporate DirectPlate Aluminum technology.

This complete system combines an Epson Stylus Pro 7900 printer (24-inch wide format) with a unique heat-based plate curing unit (PCU), a small-plate guide attachment and 10 aluminium plates.

The Epson Stylus®™ Pro 7900CTP system significantly reduces the total cost of making aluminium plates with significantly reduced capital investment, dramatically reduced electrical, maintenance, and service expenses, and virtually zero downtime because of Epson’s renowned, highly reliable and extremely robust printing technology.

And as well as producing Epson DirectPlate Aluminium plates, the Epson Stylus®™ Pro 7900CTP system can also produce contract-quality colour proofs, and colour posters up to 24-inches wide, offering a superior return on initial capital investment and more opportunities for income-generating output.

In Australia the Epson Stylus Pro 7900CTP system will be sold through selected Epson dealers, providing world class technical support backed by Epson’s global reputation for printing quality.