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PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Star product
Fujifilm Superia LH-S2

Low-chemistry offset plate is a halfway step between processed and processless technologies, says Nessan Cleary

How does it differ from previous low-
chemistry plates?
This is Fujifilm’s first low-chemistry
plate – the rest of the portfolio are either
traditionally processed or processless –
so this plate fills a gap in the product line-
up.

How fast/productive is it?
The LH-S2 plate requires 110-120mJ/
cm². It can be imaged at 200lpi and can
be used with 20μm FM screening for
high-quality print applications. It can be
used at higher drum speeds, improving
overall productivity and allowing for
faster plate remakes.

What is the USP of the product?
Lane says that the LH-S2 has a fast
What does it do? It could be argued that Afga has already emulsion allowing quick imaging speeds
Fujifilm’s Superia LH-S2 is a thermal Specifications done this with its Azura plates, so the sec- and that it prevents ablative dust during
printing plate designed for use for gen- ond market is to persuade those printers the imaging process from contaminating
eral commercial applications on offset Platesetter Thermal already using the Azura plates to switch. the imaging heads, and frequent cleaning
presses. It’s billed as a low-chemistry 830nm The advantage of the Fujifilm LH-S2 or replacement of filters saving mainte-
plate as once imaged it requires just a Max sheet size plate is that it’s not susceptible to the nance time and money.
760x1,060mm
gum developed clean out, rather than tra- ablation dust that is inevitably produced
ditional processing chemistry. Essentially Sensitivity 110-200mj/ when the laser from the CTP device hits How easy is it to use?
it has the ease of use of working with a pro- sqcm the surface of a plate. This ablated dust The plate itself is extremely easy to use,
cessless approach but with the robust plate can contaminate the lens and filters on
handling of a processed plate. The LH-S2 is Resolution 200lpi the platesetter. Fujifilm applies an over- having the same image contrast as any
manufactured at Fuji’s Tilburg plate line in (1%-99%) coat layer, which was originally devel- processed image once it’s been finished.
the Netherlands. oped for its photopolymer violet plates, The finishing unit is equally simple as
Latent image Up to 1 and which protects against this dust. there are no settings to change. The gum
When was it launched and what mar- week is loaded into the bottom of the unit,
kets is it aimed at? How does it work? sprayed onto the surface of the plate and
Run length Up to then allowed to fall back to the tray
It became commercially available this 100,000 The Superia LH-S2 plate is a derivative of
April throughout the UK and Europe. Fujifilm’s multi-layer processless pho- where it’s re-used.
There are two main target markets. The Baked No topolymer plate technology. It’s a nega- How much does it cost?
first is commercial printers that are look- tive working plate, imaged using a
ing to simplify their plate processing but UV ink No standard 830nm thermal platesetter, The price is heavily dependent on vol-
are not yet ready to make the leap into with the laser causing the coating in the ume used. However, the prices should be
processless working. Sean Lane, product Gauges 0.15, 0.20, image area to harden. Once imaged the roughly comparable with Fujifilm’s pro-
0.24, 0.30mm
group manager for offset solutions for plate is passed through a finishing unit, cessless plates, taking into account the
Fujifilm Europe, says: “It’s a reaction to where a gum is applied rather than devel- cost of the finishing unit, the gum and
the feedback from the market where cus- oper chemicals. The gum penetrates the the energy used.In June, Fujifilm UK
tomers found the transition from pro- softer non-imaged area, allowing it to be launched a new litho plate management
cessed to processless quite difficult so we removed completely, leaving the imaged business model enables printers to cost-
are trying to make that journey a little area behind, now coated with a protec- effectively manage or outsource their
easier.” tive layer. plate production.

“The price is heavily dependent on volume used.”

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