Screen said its latest launch was designed to help printers meet the trend towards shorter runs, faster turnarounds, reduced costs and improved environmental standards.

The PlateRite HD 8900 series includes the top-end, high-output PlateRite HD 8900Z, capable of imaging upwards of 65 B1 plates an hour, at a resolution of 2,400dpi.

Brian Filler, managing director at Screen UK, said: "The HD 8900 series is aimed at improving productivity, and the new platesetters produce high-speed makereadies in a market where there is more pressure to get the plates on press more quickly."

He added that it was an ideal replacement for printers with a platesetter between eight and 12 years old.

Completing the range are the S and E models, which offer 43 and 34pph respectively, with the capability to combine high-precision halftone dots with a 4,000dpi output to produce photo-quality printing.

Screen has included a 3D lenticular output mode on all models to support 3D printing.

All models can handle a variety of plate sizes from 304x305mm to 1,165x950mm, while a new autoloader adds the ability to load plates during continuous exposure.

Environmental upgrades include a 9% reduction in power consumption per plate during operation, while a power-saving standby mode cuts power usage by 85% versus existing Screen platesetters.

Screen PlateRite HD 8900 S and E models are available now, priced from £139,000, with the Z model due for commercial release later this year.

Meanwhile, Agfa has announced two additions to its Avalon 8-up thermal CTP range, the N8-80 and N8-60, which are both based on Screen’s HD 8900 series technology.