Lasers Are Fit for Print

Gregory Flinn

Violet lasers and new printing plate materials are the hottest technologies for printing and reprographics, but photonics manufacturers are also providing innovation in infrared laser technology, keeping customer options open.

The principal and somewhat unexpected cause of the interest in visible laser technology is the availability of 5-mW violet laser diodes (390 to 420 nm) from Nichia Corp. and violet-sensitive plates from three manufacturers. Several plate-setter manufacturers used this technology in computer-to-plate systems that were demonstrated in May at drupa 2000 in Düsseldorf, Germany, and as many as 11 manufacturers may offer violet-laser-based systems before the end of the year…