Main tactics for creating the printing plate

Two main techniques for creating a printing plate. The traditional techniques require a UV exposure unit and involve photo exposure with film positives and chemical etching of a photopolymer plate. A newer technique known as "computer to plate" needs a laser engraver and involves laser etching of a steel or specialized polymer plate. The later technique provides several advantages over the former; among them:

• Print quality is improved due to minimized loss of resolution. With photo exposure, the image is first transferred on film positive and only them, on the plate. Thus the image on the plate is second generation. With laser print, the image is transferred on the plate directly from a digital file. Thus the image is first generation and improved quality.

• The image on the plate is easily duplicated. Unlike chemical etching that involves several steps with many variables and manual work, laser etching is a simple, easily repeatable procedure with stable results. Plates can be made the same every time.