This document outlines best practices for plate handling in the plate room and beyond. It recommends establishing regular checklists to monitor key control points like equipment settings, room environment, and raw materials. Checklists should be reviewed weekly or monthly by a team to ensure all parameters are within target ranges. Creating a control strip imaged on each plate can help catch any issues during visual inspection and measurement. Documenting control strip measurements allows teams to set usable ranges and address issues. Proper storage of plates is also important to avoid damage from heat, light or chemicals.
Plate Handling: Best Practices for the Plate Room & Beyond
1. An FPPA-Sponsored Webinar
Plate Handling
Best Practices for the Plate Room & Beyond
Jessica Harkins Harrell
Technologies Manager
Anderson & Vreeland
2. • Simplify the control check-point process
• Create a checklist of regularly monitored
control-points
• Give peace of mind that the “print
problem” is not a “plate problem”
Purpose
A B C
?PLATE ROOM
3. What is Critical?
• Dots, lines & other elements must form
well on the plates
– Repeatable, everyday with every operator
• Within an operating tolerance
• What impacts the plate making process?
4. “You Don’t Know What You Got
(Till its Gone) -
Don’t know what it is I did so wrong…”
Cinderella, 1988
5. Recommended Tools
Bench Micrometer
UV-A Meter
Digital Thermometer
Light Table 50-100x scope
Trans Densitometer
Plate Measuring Device
Images from target.com, ebay.com, transkat.com, fasttech.com, betascreen.com, Providentgrp.com, andvre.com
6. What Impacts the Plate Room?
Equipment
Consistency
Raw
Materials
Room
Environment
Dots, lines & other elements
must form well on the plates
Operator
Commitment
7. Best Practices
Room Environment
1. Cleanliness
a. Remove dust
a. Wipe down all flat surfaces
b. Vacuum and mop floors
i. Interval: Daily-weekly depending on production
b. Reduce the amount of Corrugated/Paperboard used
in & around the plate room
a. Overtime corrugated fibers release into the air with
movement creating dust
8. Checklist
Room Environment
2. Temperature/Humidity Sheet
a. Optimal Room Temperature: 72 F
b. Optimal Relative Humidity: 45-55%
3. Temperature/Humidity Liquid
a. Optimal Room Temperature: 70-75 F
b. Optimal Relative Humidity: 55-65%
i. Important for hitting proper caliper consistently
Environment Checklist:
Date
Temperature
Humidity
9. Plate Room Equipment
Equipment
Consistency
Imaging Exposure Processing Drying Post/Detack
• Laser
• Film Output
• UVA Exposure • Solvent
• Water
• Thermal
• Solvent
• Water
• Solvent
• Water
• Thermal
10. Best Practices
Imaging
1. Routine PM visits
a. Interval: 1-2x per year by certified technician
2. Visual Inspection
a. Interval: Every plate!
b. Tools: Eyes Raw material
Laser Ablation
Equipment
Consistency
11. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
3. Focus & Stain Test
a. Interval: Minimum 1x per week &
when Visual Inspection fails
b. Tools: Transmission Densitometer
Laser Trans. Densitometer
Imaging
12. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
1. UV output check
a. Measure 9-points across the bed
i. Interval: 1x per week
ii. Tools: UV-A Meter
image c/o Flint Group – Flexo toolbox app
Exposure Frame UV-A Meter
Document
Imaging
13. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
Imaging
2. Temperature Check
a. Measure 9 points to verify good air circulation
i. Interval: 1x per week
ii. Tools: Thermometer w/ probe or infrared
Digital Thermometer
Left Ctr Right
Back 120 125 121
Mid 124 128 125
Front 122 126 124
Document
Exposure Frame
14. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
Processing
Solvent Processing Thermal Processing Water Processing
1. Check with your manufacturer for recommended practices!
15. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
Processing
2. Monitor Percent Solids of Solvent
a. Too much = inconsistent washout
b. Too little = wasteful
3. Inspection of Brush Condition
a. Look for:
Solvent Processing
a. Damaged, chipped or missing dots/fine text, un-even washout.
b. Extended wash time
c. Fuzzy looking shoulders on mid-tone dots; Dots that measure
larger than normal on plate-measurement device.
4. Wiping Rollers
a. Look for:
i. Pooling solvent or residue left on plate – replace socks
16. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
1. Monitor pH
a. pH maintained by water hardness, soap,
& polymer level
i. Tools: Use pH meter
ii. Interval: to start, measure approximately every 4 plates
2. Temperature
a. Water that is tool cold will not effectively
wash away the un-exposed polymer
i. Tools: digital thermometer
ii. Interval: 2x per day
Processing
Water Processing
17. Best Practices
Drying
1. Check Dryer Temperature
a. Should maintain temp between 140-145 F
i. Tools: Thermometer with probe
ii. Interval: Weekly or if suspicious of issue
Digital Thermometer
Left Ctr Right
Back 140 145 144
Mid 142 144 140
Front 141 145 143
Document
Equipment
Consistency
18. Best Practices
Equipment
Consistency
1. Measure UV-A & UV-C output
a. Post Exposure sets the plate; Detack changes the
plate surface tension to best transfer ink
i. Tools: UV-A meter, UV-A, UV-C Meters & Protective Eye-wear
ii. Interval: 6 months
UVA & C Meters
Left Ctr Right
Back
Mid
Front
Document
Post/Detack
19. Best Practices
Raw Materials
1. Acclimate the material
a. Material should be stored in the same
controlled environmental conditions as the
plate room
b. Move material from warehouse at least
24 hours prior to use
c. Storage of Liquid Photopolymer:
a. Between 60-100 F – warm up to 70 F before
use
20. Checklist
Bench Micrometer
2. Raw Sheet Material Gauge
a. Measure overall plate thickness
i. Interval: each box
ii. Tools: Bench Micrometer
b. Record Thickness with Lot Number and Date
Raw Material Checklist:
Date
Lot Number
Gauge
Raw Materials
22. Weekly Checklist Review
Weekly Checklist Date
Clean all surfaces/Floor
Laser: Focus/Stain tests
Exp UV-A output & temp UV-A Temp.
Dryer temperature Temp.
23. Daily Checklist Review
Daily Checklist Date
Clean all surfaces/Floor
Room Temperature (AM) 71
Room Temperature (PM) 73
Room Humidity (AM) 52.4
Room Humidity (PM) 50.3
Raw Material Type/Gauge Lot # Measured
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
24. Add Plate Room Checkpoints
& make INFORMED decisions
Cause Effect
Drop
Glass
0.026”
Breaks
No Min Dot
Plate
Relief
> 0.025”
25. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
1. Create a Control-Strip
a. Placed on each plate
b. Created as a linear file
c. Run at typical lpi/resolution
No curves
applied
26. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
1. Create a Control-Strip
Text for verifying imaging,
washout & exposure
27. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
1. Create a Control-Strip
Standard stain test for
digital plates.
28. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
1. Create a Control-Strip
Minimum dot to check
laser/film imaging.
Include the linear value of
the dot fail point (digital).
29. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
1. Create a Control-Strip
Tint patches for measuring on
plate reading device
30. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
1. Image this target on each plate/film.
Imaging
Visual inspection for laser lines or any imaging
defect in especially the solid (100%) areas. Look
first with naked eye, and/or scope on a light table.
After…
Laser Lines = poor imaging quality
31. Creating a Fool-Proof Checkpoint
Post/Detack
Clip the control strip from the plate – away from
the other images. Follow the steps below.
Measure the Relief
Inspect min dot upside-down
on light table with scope
Measure 10, 30, 50%
After…
38. Small dots (1%)
Sheet Plate Cleaning
Flexo Plate
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
Pantyhose Mesh
39. Small dots (1%)
Dot without top…
Sheet Plate Cleaning
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
40. Sheet Plate Cleaning
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
• Pamarco Care Pads or Horse Hair Brush
• Open fiber
• Will not catch dots
41. Sheet Plate Cleaning
• common cleaners
• harsh chemicals
• multiple different products
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
42. Sheet Plate Cleaning
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
• common cleaners
• harsh chemicals
• multiple different products
• Cause Plate Cracking
• Plate Curling
• Plate Lift
• Plate Breakdown
43. 1st Recommended
Cleaning Solution
100%
Ethanol
Alcohol
Sheet Plate Cleaning
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
Complete a swell test with any solution
2nd Recommended
Cleaning Solution
0-20%
Acetate
80-
100%
Ethanol
Alcohol
Okay for use with most
solvent produced plates
44. Sheet Plate Storage
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
CLEAN plates before storage Store FLAT and as square as possible
Never Face-to-Face!
• Store FLAT
• Face-to-Mylar Backing – with foam interleave
• Out of Direct Light (envelope)
45. Liquid Plate Care/Cleaning
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
CLEAN plates before storage
• Always clean plates before storing.
• Use a detergent & water solution for cleaning
• Solution temp must <140 degrees F.
• Use a soft horse-hair brush
• Dry completely before storage
70% Iso. Alcohol
Industrial
Ammonia
Solution
10%
20%
70% Water
46. Liquid Plate Care/Cleaning
• Plates must be kept out of UV light
• Wrap plates in dark envelopes or
sleeves
• Store in a cool, dry, dark place
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
47. Liquid Plate Care/Cleaning
• Too high of a storage room
temperature can damage plates
• Heat increases the likelihood of:
• Ozone cracking
• Excessive tack
• Plate shrinkage
• Optimal storage conditions:
*confirm with plate manufacturer!
70-100 degrees F
60-80% RH
48. Plate Handling
Best Practices for the Plate Room & Beyond
Jessica Harkins Harrell
Technologies Manager
Anderson & Vreeland
Hinweis der Redaktion
This doesn’t have to be the case!
What total cost of these items?
Can we check for these things? Yes! How?
Even consider extra filter on HVAC, or consult with HVAC to assist with positive air pressure, etc. Consider sandwiching corrugated in mylar.
Optimal Room Temp for liquid and sheet photopolymer platemaking is about 72 degrees.
If the room temp is too high: may over work equipment fans, over heat PC boards, etc.
Room severely under temp: polymer may not react as quickly during exposure times
If humidity is too high: potential electrical issues & plate curl
If humidity is too low: static is a potential issue, gathering dust, shocking operators, shorting equipment
Consider auto sensing temp & humidity control indicator.
Can we check for these things? Yes! How?
Can we check for these things? Yes! How?
Can we check for these things? Yes! How?
Add AVSTAR printer
The ability of lamps to expose photopolymer is dependent on intensity and exposure time. Often – the frames ability to increase light output is a factor of the age of the lamps and the ballasts output of power.
The output readings on a sheet frame vs. liquid frames will be different. On a liquid frame 2.5-4mW for Back Exposure lights, Face exp 4-6mW
What happens if temp is too high?
Material can degrade, deform at the dot level
Too hot and polyester backing can stretch/shrink
What happens if temp is too high?
Material can degrade, deform at the dot level
Too hot and polyester backing can stretch/shrink
Dryers set too high can cause curling, or deforming of plate (over 150)
Sometimes temperatures in the dryer too high can be caused by bad air flow /damaged fans
Dryer temp set too low can extend the drying time
For Liquid plates: its imperative
Dryers set too high can cause curling, or deforming of plate (over 150)
Sometimes temperatures in the dryer too high can be caused by bad air flow /damaged fans
Dryer temp set too low can extend the drying time
UV-A- PE on Liquid = 12-18mW
When detacking the liquid plate, it must be hot (125-130 degrees) so best to take straight from the dryer to the detack.
Some liquid detack units have pre-heater (if the plate is not hot at the start of detacking, it will remain tacky)
Can we check for these things? Yes! How?
We are going to put together a check-point plan that helps the team make informed decisions.
Now that all the equipment is running through regular maintenance checks, its time to create a control strip to verify that each plate running through the process is optimized.
In film/liquid this Exposure Control Guide
Now that all the equipment is running through regular maintenance checks, its time to create a control strip to verify that each plate running through the process is optimized.
Easy to make a online database using Zoho Creator
Easy data entry
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Keep this title slide? Make something new?
Clean plates before storage
Allow to dry completely
Store flat
Image side to mylar backing
Never face-to-face!
Store out of light
In a light envelope is good
Clean plates before storage
Allow to dry completely
Store flat
Image side to mylar backing
Never face-to-face!
Store out of light
In a light envelope is good
Clean plates before storage
Allow to dry completely
Store flat
Image side to mylar backing
Never face-to-face!
Store out of light
In a light envelope is good