Chicago, Illinois, USA - Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) introduces a powerful new weapon for printers moving through the digital age, Kodak Polychrome Graphics SWORD Thermal Printing Plates. These innovative plates cut processing time and cost while offering all of thermal technology’s distinct advantages. SWORD thermal plates are no-preheat, no-postbake, write-the-background plates that process in a negative working environment. Featuring an ultra-durable new coating technology, SWORD thermal plates can achieve run lengths in excess of 400,000 plus UV/EB ink compatibility without postbaking and are true white light handling. "SWORD thermal plates slash throughput times and boost productivity," said Jeff Jacobson, Chief Executive Officer. "This is an ideal product for printers entering the CtP world, or for those already in it. Every sheet fed and shorter-run web printer should take note, as SWORD thermal plates truly bring thermal CtP technology to the next level." SWORD thermal plates deliver all of the benefits of thermal plate technology—sharp image edges, no dot gain, faster press roll-up and predictable, stable processing—while eliminating preheat and postbake cycles. "We've had zero problems with SWORD thermal plates," said Steve Amoroso, president of Digital Printing, Inc., in Rochester, New York, a beta-test site for SWORD thermal plates. "They're user friendly, they like ink, and they give us a sharper dot than our previous plates. That's why we're excited about SWORD thermal plates from an end-user point of view." Fewer remakes, superior quality SWORD thermal plates’ true white-light handling makes them easy to use in any prepress work environment. Plus, the highly binary imaging mechanism of SWORD thermal plates yield exposures which are consistently accurate and require little or no dot-gain compensation—thus simplifying the matching of proof, plate and press tone scales. On press, SWORD thermal plates look, feel and handle like conventional plates. Users can depend on SWORD thermal plates to maintain superior batch-to-batch consistency. SWORD thermal plates process in specially designed straight-path, negative-working processors. The simpler negative process involves fewer steps and uses a non-oxidizing, aqueous developer, so users can expect longer cycles and lower replenishment rates. The processor's smaller footprint and consistent reliability make this a preferred process for prepress workflow. The real proof of any plate's worth is in its print quality, and SWORD thermal plates live up to the thermal promise with a dynamic range of 1% to 99% at 175 LPI and 2% to 98% at 200 LPI. This high-resolution makes SWORD thermal plates suitable for the highest quality printing jobs. "In 1995 our award-winning Thermal Printing Plate/830 launched the thermal CtP revolution. SWORD thermal plates demonstrate our continuing commitment to researching and developing innovations that exceed our customers' expectations," said Bruce Davidson, Worldwide Marketing Director, Plates. "SWORD thermal plates deliver the levels of reliability, accuracy and repeatability our customers tell us they need to maintain their competitive edge. Never has a plate provided such a high quality image with so many time-saving and money-saving features." Coating technology gives SWORD thermal plates their edge Kodak Polychrome Graphics SWORD Thermal Printing Plates deliver runs of up to 400,000 impressions without postbaking, thanks to a newly developed coating technology that makes the plates highly resistant to physical wear. This innovative technology is designed to resist plate developer chemistry and provide a wide, stable processing window. The coating is highly resistant to press chemicals—including UV and EB ink solvents, cleaners and fountain solutions—so it increases the plates' durability and latitude on press The coating also has ultra-high ink receptivity. The improvement in ink receptivity yields lower ink consumption and lower water settings—for improved density and color stability on press. The substrate of SWORD thermal plates is EC-grained and anodized 3103 alloy aluminum, a material with high tensile strength and greater stiffness than alloys used in many other thermal plates. This substrate resists cracking, limiting the danger of blanket damage from crack-outs and reducing the number of plates required for long runs. The combination of aluminum substrate and coatings makes the plates look, feel and handle like conventional plates, giving press operators a high level of confidence and comfort in the plates' ability to perform on press. Additionally, SWORD thermal plates provide prepress technicians with greater flexibility in matching inks, plates and press chemistry to the specific demands of the press work. With less possibility of damage from solvents and chemicals, prepress and press operators can work with a wider variety of chemistry and materials to achieve the results desired on press.