Three 'extras' you'll get when you switch to process free

When you consider how switching to process free plates favorably impacts print operations, there are three 'extras' you'll get that you're likely overlooking altogether. These 'extras' can really boost your business but may not be as obvious as the savings involved with removing the process and chemistry.

It's not hard to see why printers would choose process free plates over traditional plate processing. Making the choice to use process free plates means reducing the variability of each printed job and ensures that your output on printed materials achieves the highest quality. Also, by removing the plates processor, you eliminate the use of hazardous chemistry and waste that results from traditional plates processing. All of this makes process free a compelling prospect for print businesses of any size.

Yet, process free also delivers several major positives that aren't so immediately apparent. Here are three hidden extra's you'll get by making the switch…

Going process free means you can dismantle and remove all the equipment you previously needed to make traditionally processed plates.

This may be music to your ears if you have been searching for ways to free up highly coveted floor space. By removing the processor, you can rethink potentially cramped layouts, put the space to better use, and rearrange the remaining prepress equipment in a way that helps your team work more efficiently and productively.

KODAK Platesetters, such as the TRENDSETTER and MAGNUS Q800, are designed to pair seamlessly with KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. These devices, which also harness the latest automation technology, are renowned for their extremely small footprint.

You'll also realize substantial cost savings in the energy you'd need to run the processor and to cool platemaking rooms. Likewise, water consumption required with traditional plate processing goes away, as well.

By eliminating the plate processor, you'll find yourself spending less money on maintaining and servicing the machine, and you'll avoid press downtime when things go wrong with the processor. Traditional plate processors must be emptied and thoroughly cleaned every few weeks, all of which requires labor, and the staff dedicated to cleaning a traditional plate processor could be better utilized in other areas of running your print operations.

If you'd like to know how big those savings could be for you, use our Savings Estimator. It removes the guesswork, and gives you an instant, customized estimate of your potential savings by adopting KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Other printers have found themselves benefiting to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Kodak has spent years gathering data from prepress and press operators to improve operations and maximize savings.

By using process free plates, you reduce the number of plate remakes due to errors. With traditional plates, calibrating the processor with its required chemistry can result in a variety of platemaking defects. With KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates, you can consistently make plates that will perform well on press because there's no processor or chemistry to tinker with. Since you're able to make plates right the first time, jobs can more efficiently move from prepress to the pressroom. Plus, the materials cost of wasted substrates and inks going onto plates that are not press-ready is reduced, while job completion rates improve.

Process free plates deliver comprehensive cost savings while delivering superior performance too. With longer run lengths, unparalleled robustness in handling, faster imaging, and higher resolution — plus three times stronger image contrast than previous process free plates — KODAK SONORA XTRA Process Free Plates set a new benchmark for excellence.

They also eliminate the variability of processing, delivering unmatched color consistency, accuracy, and overall quality in the final output. Meanwhile, KODAK SQUARESPOT Technology enables superior tonal stability, so you can achieve the highest screening qualification with your process free plates. Together, these capabilities help make you more competitive, potentially winning you more business.

It's worth noting that process free plates work seamlessly with Kodak's innovations in automation, from the latest platemakers to the KODAK Mobile CTP Control App. The more plates you can automatically load, image, and unload, the more jobs you can handle in a day, boosting your revenue potential even as you reduce costs.

With the KODAK Mobile CTP Control App, once your press shift supervisors have started the plate output, your team can leave the platemaking process completely unattended. This frees people up to work on other tasks that will deliver further value to the business.

The best bit is you can start making these gains immediately. Switching to KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates is seamless. You don't need to change your workflow or add any new CTP equipment. And you'll have Kodak's expert Field Specialists on hand to help you through the transition from traditional to process free plates. With your business instantly benefiting from all that extra space, extra saving, and extra money, you stand to enjoy extra opportunity for growth.

Ask your sales rep about switching to KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates