Advantage N Essentials is based on the Advantage N, yet is a more basic series of CTP engines for newspaper pre-press, according to the company.
Depending on the degree of automation that printers need, they can choose between the semi-automatic Advantage N-eSA or the fully automated Advantage N-eTR.
Agfa said the Advantage N platesetter range offered newspaper printers a more affordable option without compromising performance.
Advantage Essentials has a new vertical imaging head and comes in two different throughput speeds, 50 or 100 plates/hr.
PR manager Paul Adriaensen would not reveal cost details but said the new machines were due to be available in the UK this August.
“The equipment is for small-, medium- and high-volume newspaper and hybrid web printers and takes the best features of our previous generation of CTP systems - Polaris and Advantage - and adds greater productivity, reliability and ease of use.”
Marketing manager Emiel Sweevers added: “Although the series took a more basic approach to CTP, it still provided printers with user-friendliness, reliability, and high-end results.
“We accepted the challenge of making high-quality CTP engines as affordable as possible and with Advantage N Essentials, I believe we achieved that goal,” he said.
The new Advantage N Essentials series supports several plate-loading mechanisms, various plate throughput speeds and different levels of autonomy, he said.
Printers can also choose optional features such as mirrored registration or a display to enable them to adjust the CTP engine to their particular needs.
“By making a platesetter series that focuses on the essence of CTP, we offer newspaper printers more ease of use”, said Sweevers.
“We minimised the operating levels without reducing the printer’s range of choices. That is why they can still add extra features if they want to.”
He added that t he Advantage N-eSA offered the most cost-effective solution whenever limited levels of automation suffice. Both plate loading and positioning are done manually.
“Plate processing is an autonomous mechanism: the Advantage N-eTR offers printers full automation: loading plates from an internal, transportable cassette that can hold up to 500 plates.”
