Swift Daily First with Agfa Advantage N-SL CTP

By: E&P Staff Agfa Graphics in Ridgefield Park, N.J., announced today that The Union in Grass Valley, Calif., a Swift Communications daily, is the first North American newspaper to install the Advantage N-SL platesetter -- replacing a film imagesetter and completing a conversion to Agfa computer-to-plate at all Swift facilities.

The third-generation Advantage N-SL builds on the previous technology while being more affordable and easier to use, according to Agfa. The violet-laser imager combines speed and reliability for small to mid-size newspaper and coldset web printers.

Citing the device's small footprint and automation, Union Production Director Lee Brant said in a statement, "It's also very convenient that most issues or questions can be monitored and dealt with remotely saving time and money."

The Advantage N-SL handles both AgfaGraphics' current N91-V and the new chemistry-free N92-VCF plate, imaging up to 100 plates per hour and featuring automatic plate loading from a 100-plate stack loader. Online processing also is offered.

The new Advantage N family of platesetters consists of four models: the manual N-M and N-SA and the auto-loading N-SL and N-DL.