Keywords: CTP light source, violet laser diode, TuiOptics Co., Ltd., located in Munich, was separated from TuiLaser parent company two years ago and once again specializes in medical large-scale laser technology. The two business leaders, Dr. Thomas Weibel and Dr. William Kandel, turned a department of the time into a small and effective company with only 24 employees.
Dr. Gragoli Flynn, who is responsible for developing an OEM (prototype) laser system, explained to reporters that although laser diode manufacturers have developed diodes, there is no control or optical system for diodes. This type of optical system is intricate for most manufacturers of laser-equipped machines (such as offset printers), and Tui Optics has a high degree of specialization between the diode manufacturer and the laser exposure machine manufacturer. Play a role as a bridge.
The name of the violet laser is the PVLS (Pulsing Violet Laser Source), which precisely controls the violet laser diodes on the drum exposure machines of several companies at Barco Graphics, Krause-Biagosch and Purup-Eskofot.
Exclusive manufacture of violet laser diodes The Japanese company Nichia is the only manufacturer in the world that manufactures violet laser diodes. This diode was first introduced two years ago and its spectral range is from 391nm to 420nm. The purpose of developing such a violet laser diode is to use it to achieve a higher storage density on the basis of a smaller wavelength.
The CD is played with an infrared diode with a wavelength of 780 nm, and the resulting storage energy is 650 MB. The DVD player uses a red equivalent of a HeNe laser diode (wavelength 640 nm) and an improved optical system so that 4.7 GB can be stored on each side and each layer.
The DVR is under development and people will use it to record digital TV movies in the future, but it needs more storage density. In this regard, violet laser diodes can store 20 to 30 GB of data at 400 nm. The question is: At present, the price of each diode is 1,500 US dollars. It is still too expensive to use violet laser diodes for DVRs. Some people think that Nichia's cost will be reduced in the next two years due to its entry into mass production.
Although other prestigious semiconductor manufacturers such as Sony, Sharp, or Sanyo are also involved in the research and development of violet diodes, Nichia believes that competition can be protected through powerful patents.
PVLS Units There are many reasons why people turn light sources into complete optoelectronic systems to a professional company like TuiOptics. The first problem is that the diode has been destroyed by electrostatic discharge when it is touched with a finger. In addition, the life of the diode depends to a large extent on the fact that it cannot be overheated, so it is necessary to control the temperature. The electronic control device must transmit data pulses to the laser diode so that its switching time can be controlled in the nanosecond range. In addition, it must be mentioned that the diode in the plate exposure machine must be turned on once for each pixel. This is different from the case where the solid-state laser is always on, and the pixels are formed by the optical modulator passing light through or not. The last and most important reason is the beam shaping lens in the PVLS unit, which can focus the laser beam on the plate to a minimum.
The violet laser diode silver salt version for exposure to the plate can be exposed in the 400 nm range to obtain the smallest laser spot, thereby increasing the resolution. Therefore, the exposure machine manufacturer can use a smaller, rapidly rotating mirror (rotator) at the same resolution to reduce the exposure time of each plate. Although the laser beam stays short at each point of the plate, the power of the laser system is sufficient. Such as Agfa Lithostar LAP-V exposure machine needs 26mJ/m2 of exposure energy, sensitivity is only equivalent to TuiOptics's 5mW diode power 5% of the energy.
The second point is the fact that the Agfa Lithostar LAP-V exposure machine can expose plates under indoor light yellow security lights. This is undoubtedly an advantage compared to ordinary silver salt editions that require exposure in dark red light.
What is the service life?
For purple laser diodes, the opinions heard many times are the so-called short service life. Nichia's violet-laser diodes have a mean life expectancy (MTBF) of 3,000 hours and will increase to at least 5000 hours in the near future. This is the pure "on" time of the diode, which is the pure exposure time of the plate. Taking a 70 cm x 100 cm plate exposure time of 2 minutes as an example, the life expectancy is 3000 hours = 180,000 minutes 2 points/plate = 90000 plates. Each day consumes 100 plates and 250 working days per year. The diodes will expire in 3 and a half years. Although the life expectancy of a solid or gas laser is, for example, 10,000 hours, it is not too long. Since the laser is switched on during the entire operation, the service life is 666 working days in a two-shift operation of 15 hours per day. In other words, it will expire in two and a half years.
In other words: the life expectancy of violet laser diodes is longer than that of solid or gas lasers, although the latter describes more hours! Again, the replacement of solid and gas lasers is much more expensive. Once the violet laser diode drops to a few dollars, it costs only a small amount to replace it.
The development trend of violet laser diode When the violet laser diode is damaged, the entire PVSL unit in the plate exposure machine will be replaced, and a new tube can be installed at TuiOptics. The re-adjusted operating cost is then added to the price of the diode, but this replacement is much cheaper than solid and gas lasers.
In addition, Nichia is developing powerful diodes. TuiOptics already has a 15mW violet laser diode sample and this year Nichia will also provide the first 30mW diode.
But like the development of semiconductor components, the price at the beginning is very high. If one looks at the entire price of the offset printer, the price of the diode is almost insignificant. Because of the different thermal technologies, the use of multiple rows of diodes on an external drum exposure machine has increased the price of diodes while the inner drum exposure machine uses only one diode.
Also at Drupa 2000, Mitsubishi and Fujitsu have announced photopolymer plates for violet lasers, while Mitsubishi has demonstrated the first exposed plates, albeit at a slower pace. TuiOptics believes that the current 5mW diode, later developed to 15 or 30mW, is sufficient for high resolution and fast polymer film exposure. Manufacturers expect low polymer plate prices and high print rates, so that this plate can greatly accelerate the success of violet lasers.
Which is the best thermal or violet laser technology?
Before buying a CTP system, people will consider many options. TuiOptics believes that users who embrace silver salt and internal drum exposure machines have decided to use violet laser diodes, which will only bring benefits compared to using 670nm red diodes or 532nm FD-Nd:YAG lasers. So Agfa, Barco, Krause and Purup-Eskofot sold so many plate exposure machines with violet laser diodes on Drupa 2000. (Xu Shiheng compiled China Institute of Printing Science and Technology)
Dr. Gragoli Flynn, who is responsible for developing an OEM (prototype) laser system, explained to reporters that although laser diode manufacturers have developed diodes, there is no control or optical system for diodes. This type of optical system is intricate for most manufacturers of laser-equipped machines (such as offset printers), and Tui Optics has a high degree of specialization between the diode manufacturer and the laser exposure machine manufacturer. Play a role as a bridge.
The name of the violet laser is the PVLS (Pulsing Violet Laser Source), which precisely controls the violet laser diodes on the drum exposure machines of several companies at Barco Graphics, Krause-Biagosch and Purup-Eskofot.
Exclusive manufacture of violet laser diodes The Japanese company Nichia is the only manufacturer in the world that manufactures violet laser diodes. This diode was first introduced two years ago and its spectral range is from 391nm to 420nm. The purpose of developing such a violet laser diode is to use it to achieve a higher storage density on the basis of a smaller wavelength.
The CD is played with an infrared diode with a wavelength of 780 nm, and the resulting storage energy is 650 MB. The DVD player uses a red equivalent of a HeNe laser diode (wavelength 640 nm) and an improved optical system so that 4.7 GB can be stored on each side and each layer.
The DVR is under development and people will use it to record digital TV movies in the future, but it needs more storage density. In this regard, violet laser diodes can store 20 to 30 GB of data at 400 nm. The question is: At present, the price of each diode is 1,500 US dollars. It is still too expensive to use violet laser diodes for DVRs. Some people think that Nichia's cost will be reduced in the next two years due to its entry into mass production.
Although other prestigious semiconductor manufacturers such as Sony, Sharp, or Sanyo are also involved in the research and development of violet diodes, Nichia believes that competition can be protected through powerful patents.
PVLS Units There are many reasons why people turn light sources into complete optoelectronic systems to a professional company like TuiOptics. The first problem is that the diode has been destroyed by electrostatic discharge when it is touched with a finger. In addition, the life of the diode depends to a large extent on the fact that it cannot be overheated, so it is necessary to control the temperature. The electronic control device must transmit data pulses to the laser diode so that its switching time can be controlled in the nanosecond range. In addition, it must be mentioned that the diode in the plate exposure machine must be turned on once for each pixel. This is different from the case where the solid-state laser is always on, and the pixels are formed by the optical modulator passing light through or not. The last and most important reason is the beam shaping lens in the PVLS unit, which can focus the laser beam on the plate to a minimum.
The violet laser diode silver salt version for exposure to the plate can be exposed in the 400 nm range to obtain the smallest laser spot, thereby increasing the resolution. Therefore, the exposure machine manufacturer can use a smaller, rapidly rotating mirror (rotator) at the same resolution to reduce the exposure time of each plate. Although the laser beam stays short at each point of the plate, the power of the laser system is sufficient. Such as Agfa Lithostar LAP-V exposure machine needs 26mJ/m2 of exposure energy, sensitivity is only equivalent to TuiOptics's 5mW diode power 5% of the energy.
The second point is the fact that the Agfa Lithostar LAP-V exposure machine can expose plates under indoor light yellow security lights. This is undoubtedly an advantage compared to ordinary silver salt editions that require exposure in dark red light.
What is the service life?
For purple laser diodes, the opinions heard many times are the so-called short service life. Nichia's violet-laser diodes have a mean life expectancy (MTBF) of 3,000 hours and will increase to at least 5000 hours in the near future. This is the pure "on" time of the diode, which is the pure exposure time of the plate. Taking a 70 cm x 100 cm plate exposure time of 2 minutes as an example, the life expectancy is 3000 hours = 180,000 minutes 2 points/plate = 90000 plates. Each day consumes 100 plates and 250 working days per year. The diodes will expire in 3 and a half years. Although the life expectancy of a solid or gas laser is, for example, 10,000 hours, it is not too long. Since the laser is switched on during the entire operation, the service life is 666 working days in a two-shift operation of 15 hours per day. In other words, it will expire in two and a half years.
In other words: the life expectancy of violet laser diodes is longer than that of solid or gas lasers, although the latter describes more hours! Again, the replacement of solid and gas lasers is much more expensive. Once the violet laser diode drops to a few dollars, it costs only a small amount to replace it.
The development trend of violet laser diode When the violet laser diode is damaged, the entire PVSL unit in the plate exposure machine will be replaced, and a new tube can be installed at TuiOptics. The re-adjusted operating cost is then added to the price of the diode, but this replacement is much cheaper than solid and gas lasers.
In addition, Nichia is developing powerful diodes. TuiOptics already has a 15mW violet laser diode sample and this year Nichia will also provide the first 30mW diode.
But like the development of semiconductor components, the price at the beginning is very high. If one looks at the entire price of the offset printer, the price of the diode is almost insignificant. Because of the different thermal technologies, the use of multiple rows of diodes on an external drum exposure machine has increased the price of diodes while the inner drum exposure machine uses only one diode.
Also at Drupa 2000, Mitsubishi and Fujitsu have announced photopolymer plates for violet lasers, while Mitsubishi has demonstrated the first exposed plates, albeit at a slower pace. TuiOptics believes that the current 5mW diode, later developed to 15 or 30mW, is sufficient for high resolution and fast polymer film exposure. Manufacturers expect low polymer plate prices and high print rates, so that this plate can greatly accelerate the success of violet lasers.
Which is the best thermal or violet laser technology?
Before buying a CTP system, people will consider many options. TuiOptics believes that users who embrace silver salt and internal drum exposure machines have decided to use violet laser diodes, which will only bring benefits compared to using 670nm red diodes or 532nm FD-Nd:YAG lasers. So Agfa, Barco, Krause and Purup-Eskofot sold so many plate exposure machines with violet laser diodes on Drupa 2000. (Xu Shiheng compiled China Institute of Printing Science and Technology)
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