Printing plate
Letterpress / Typographic clichés
This is a direct printing method. Letterpress printing plates are made of photopolymer. Photopolymer is a light-sensitive material that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light. To create a letterpress plate, a photopolymer plate is exposed to a light source through a negative or positive of the desired design. The exposed parts harden, forming the raised areas that will be inked and transferred to the paper during printing. The unexposed parts are washed, leaving hollow areas where no ink will be deposited. Photopolymer offers precision detail and durability for high-quality letterpress prints.
Offset printing plates
Offset printing plates are made of aluminum. Aluminum offset printing plates are normally made from specially prepared aluminum plates, coated with a photosensitive layer. This layer is light-sensitive and reacts to UV rays. Once exposed, the photosensitive layer hardens and forms the areas that will hold the ink during the offset printing process. The unexposed parts are then washed, creating non-printed areas. The use of aluminum plates in offset printing offers excellent print quality, good detail resolution and durability for mass production runs. More regularly, we use digital plates produced using a direct imaging method without the use of film, where images are etched onto the plate using laser beams. The plates work on the principle that oil and water do not mix. An offset press uses a fountain solution to wet the plate during the printing process. The non-image areas of the plate attract the fountain solution and repel the oil-based ink, while the image areas attract the ink and repel the fountain solution.
Hot stamping clichés
Hot stamping clichés are made of brass or magnesium and produced by chemical etching. These materials offer good thermal conductivity, making them ideal for the hot stamping process. Brass clichés are durable, long-lasting and can be used for repeated printing without loss of quality. Magnesium plates are more flexible and suitable for curved or irregular surfaces. They are often used for projects requiring fine engraving or intricate details. Both materials can be embossed to create patterns, logos or text, which are then transferred to the substrate during hot stamping.
Embossing plates
Plate production times
Once we have checked and approved your print order, we start manufacturing the plates with our specialist suppliers. We make sure you get the shots you need for your project. The time it takes to manufacture a plate can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the complexity of the design, the material used and the technical specifications required. We strive to guarantee fast and efficient plate production, while maintaining the optimum quality of your print.
- Offset: 72h
- Letterpress: 5 days
- Hot stamping: 5 days
- Embossing: 5 days
- 3D embossing: 7 working days.
