Computer to film
Computer to Film (CTF) is the term used to describe the process in which data sent by a computer ( Raster Image Processor ) is exposed directly onto photographic film using a digital film recorder . The exposure usually takes place by means of a laser , the exposed film must be developed after exposure.
The exposed film can in turn serve as a contact exposure master in various photographic processes. Some areas of application are:
- Imaging of offset printing plates
- Exposure of printing screens
- Exposure of photopolymer clichés for book and flexographic printing
- PCB manufacturing
CTF ushered in large-scale computerization in the printing and prepress area and ensured that professions such as retouching and printing form manufacturer died out. The previously very (time-) consuming manual generation of print templates (films) could be reduced to a fraction of the effort using CTF.
CTF has been largely replaced by CTP (Computer to Plate) in the offset printing sector (as of 2014) . In other areas such as screen printing or cliché production, the film still plays a role as an intermediate step.
See also
literature
- Helmut Kipphan (Hrsg.): Handbook of Print Media: Technologies and Production Processes . Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-540-66941-8 , pp. 593 f .