Prepress Workflow Solutions
Last updated: October 2026
Quick answer: Our prepress workflow solutions group plates, platesetter, processor, chemistry and plate finishing equipment into setups for four buyer and press types: printing companies, prepress service bureaus, web offset printers and UV or LED-UV offset printers. Pick the page that matches your operation, then send us your press list for a matched quotation.
Key takeaways
- A prepress workflow is a chain: plate, platesetter, processor, developer, then baking, punching and bending where needed.
- Each solution page below describes a typical configuration for one buyer or press type.
- We manufacture plates, processors, baking ovens, punches, benders and developer; platesetters are supplied with our partner factories.
- You can buy the full chain or only the parts you are missing.
Many plate rooms grow piece by piece: a platesetter from one source, plates from another, developer from a local dealer. The result is often too many suppliers for one plate room, and nobody responsible when plates and processor do not match. The pages in this section start from your operation instead of from a product, and show how the pieces fit together.
Prepress workflow solutions by buyer and press type
| Solution | Who it is for | What the page covers |
|---|---|---|
| Prepress solutions for printing companies | Commercial and packaging printers running their own plate room | Choosing a plate technology, sizing the platesetter and processor to your presses, and keeping one plate grade stable across shifts. |
| Prepress service bureau equipment | Plate-making shops that image plates for many printers | Multi-format imaging, stocking several plate grades, developer replenishment, and punching and bending for many different presses. |
| Web offset printing plates | Heat-set and cold-set web printers: newspapers, magazines, books, inserts | Plates for web presses, bending and punching for web press lockup, and fast plate turnaround. |
| UV and LED-UV offset solutions | Sheetfed printers using UV or LED-UV curing inks | Plate grades with UV ink resistance, baking, and wash-up considerations for UV presses. |
What a prepress workflow includes
Whatever your press type, an offset prepress workflow passes through the same stages. What changes is the plate grade, the formats and the finishing steps.
- Plates. CTP plates (thermal, processless, violet or CTcP) or conventional PS plates, cut to your press size. We manufacture all of these in our factory.
- Imaging. A CTP platesetter matched to the plate type: thermal 830 nm, UV for CTcP, or violet. Platesetters are supplied with our partner factories.
- Processing. A plate processor and developer matched to the plate chemistry. Processless plates skip this step.
- Finishing. A baking oven for long runs or aggressive inks, and a plate punch and plate bender for pin register and press lockup. All three are our own make; punches and benders are pneumatic.
- Chemistry and care. Plate gum, baking gum and plate cleaner, supplied with our partner factories, see printing chemicals.
How to choose the right solution
Start from your operation, not from a product list. Ask yourself four questions:
- Who uses the plates? If you print on your own presses, start with printing companies. If you sell imaged plates to other printers, start with service bureaus.
- Sheetfed or web? Web presses have their own plate lockup, bending and punching needs, so web printers should read the web offset page first.
- Which ink system? UV and LED-UV inks call for plates with UV ink resistance and often baking. That has its own page.
- What do you already own? If you already have a platesetter, we match plates and processor to it using our CTP compatibility notes. You do not need to replace working equipment, and if you only want plates, not a full line, that is fine.
Not sure which setup fits your presses? Send us your press list with plate sizes and monthly consumption and we will suggest a configuration. Advice before you buy equipment is part of our technical support.
Looking for a printing application instead?
Solutions are organised by who you are and what press you run. If you would rather start from what you print, such as books, newspapers, labels, folding cartons or metal sheets, browse our printing applications. Each application page recommends plate grades and equipment for that print process.
FAQ
What is a prepress workflow?
A prepress workflow is the chain of steps that turns a finished design file into a press-ready plate: imaging on a platesetter, processing in a processor with developer, and finishing such as gumming, baking, punching and bending. Each step must match the plate grade and the press.
What equipment is needed for an offset prepress department?
A typical offset prepress department needs a CTP platesetter, a plate processor with developer, and plate gum. Depending on your work it may also need a baking oven, a plate punch and a plate bender. Processless plates remove the processor step.
How do I choose a prepress solution for my print shop?
Start from your buyer type and press type: in-house printer or service bureau, sheetfed or web, conventional or UV inks. Then list the equipment you already own. Our solution pages describe a typical configuration for each case, and we can confirm it from your press list.
Can one supplier provide plates, platesetter and processor together?
Yes. We manufacture the plates, processors, baking ovens, punches, benders and developer, and supply platesetters with our partner factories, so the whole chain can be quoted and set up together for the same plate grade.
What is the difference between a solutions page and an applications page?
Solution pages are organised by buyer and press type, such as service bureaus or web offset. Application pages are organised by the product you print, such as books, labels or metal sheets. Both lead to the same plates and equipment.
Want a prepress setup matched to your presses? Request a quote — send your press models, plate sizes, current equipment and monthly plate use. Or request trial plates / contact us.
Disclaimer: values on this page are typical and for reference only; final specifications, MOQ, price and lead time are subject to the grade TDS and the quotation.
