It's been over a decade since the market shifted towards computer-to-plate (CTP) technology and, as a result, thermal imaging has grown considerably. Swiss manufacturer Lüscher spotted a gap in the market for large-format thermal. It aimed to fill this with its XPose! series of CTP devices.

In 1998, Lüscher launched XPose! to the masses at the Imprinta exhibition in Dusseldorf. Two years later, the series was made commercially available, with five sizes ranging from the XPose! 75 to the larger 190.

"It was a new product for Lüscher and an evolution from our step-and-repeat machines, which had been very successful," says Colin Price, UK sales manager for Lüscher.

According to Price, the strength of the XPose! series lay in its accuracy in imaging. It could handle a wider range of plate sizes, combined with a very precise in-line punch. This was because the machine was based on both internal and external drum technology.

Problem solved
"Our goal was to avoid the problem of vibration and dynamic balancing issues associated with spinning a plate on a drum," explains Price. "We also wanted to avoid any complicated plate mounting and other inefficient manual steps."
The device incorporated an internal drum to hold the plate and an external drum to hold the optics. So the plate is held, punched and imaged without it moving.

"External drum technology enabled XPose! to achieve high productivity through multiple sets of lasers, optimising the laser power at the plate's surface. Internal drum technology allowed XPose! the benefit of a plate that is static during
imaging, with no requirement for dynamic balancing, no vibration and a consistent duty cycle regardless of plate dimensions," says Price.

The 160 was well suited for web printers with a choice of up to 128 lasers available. Optional extras included inline punching and dual plate loading.

"With low print runs becoming a bigger factor, make-ready accuracy was important. The larger version of the 160, the 190, has been dominant in the point-of-sale print sector," says Price. There have been more than 55 installations of the XPose! series in the UK and 1,400 worldwide.

There were three generations of laser optics for the XPose! 160 - the LM1, LM2 and LM3. Each delivered greater speed and performance than the previous incarnation, with the LM3 optics supporting up to 128 lasers simultaneously.
In 2007, the XPose! 260, the successor to the 160, was launched. While it had the same basic internal and external drum architecture, it allowed a customer to choose either thermal lasers or opt for UV diodes, allowing the exposure of conventional plates.

"Since then, over 95% of machines sold incorporated UV diodes," says Price.

The 160 is no longer in production, but secondhand models are occasionally available direct from Lüscher. "They are popular machines worldwide due to ease of serviceability," says Price. While LM3 versions of XPose! are upgradable to incorporate UV diodes, Price says it is not cost-effective to do this for older models.

Lüscher has seven engineers in the UK backed by a team of 26 support engineers at its headquarters in Switzerland. Part exchange is possible against a new 200 Series machine.

SPECIFICATIONS
Max imaging speed 488mm per minute (16 plates per hour)
Max plate size 1,370x1,700mm
Laser 830nM or UV
Resolution 1,200–2,540dpi
Footprint 3626x1565mm
Weight 2,550kg
Price
New: 260-UV £249,000
Inline punching: £16,000
Dual plate loading: £10,000
Used: 2005 160/128 LM3
(plus opts) £60,000
Used: 2007 160/64-UV LM3 £150,000
What to look for
Service history
LM3 lasers