Prize awarded for printing innovation

17 Jun 2002

A laser-based system that promises to revolutionize the printing industry has won an innovations prize from the Berthold Leibinger Foundation - a German organization that rewards outstanding applied laser physics research in production technology.

The 720 000 prize was given to Josef Schneider, head of R&D at MAN Roland, Germany, for the development of the company's DICOweb printing system.

Traditional printing set-ups use computers to generate film, which is used to make the printing plate. This plate is then fitted to the cylinder on the press.

The DICOweb eliminates two of these steps. It writes directly to the plate on the cylinder, enabling flexible, short-run printing.

Using a thermal-transfer ribbon, the laser system deposits imaging material directly onto the surface of the cylinder. This material is then heated to give it longevity on the press.When printing has been completed, the residual imaging material is heated and then removed.This technique reduces production costs and eliminates the need to dispose of used plates.The Berthold Leibinger Foundation, is named after the chief executive of Trumpf, who in the 1970s recognized the potential of lasers for materials processing and decided to develop a laser-based steel-cutting system.

Story courtesy of Opto & Laser Europe magazine.