Pad Printing Cliche Manufacturing Equipment

PRINTING plates Processing Equipment

Automark can supply everything needed to process pad printing plates, also known as clichés. This includes exposure units for photopolymer and thin steel plates, etching bins for steel bins, and lasers to process our YL50 and COL40 printing plates.  Our specialists are ready to answer questions and guide new entrants through the process. Below is an overview of the Automark printing plate processing equipment, along with tutorials showing how easy it is to use these items.

EQUIPMENT FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF POLYMER PAD PRINTING CLICHÉS

The water- and alcohol washable pad printing clichés from our product range are made by the company Flint (previous known under the name of BASF).  Flint builds their own equipment to expose, wash and dry their cliché plates, which we supply into the North American marketplace. For additional technical information:

How to Get yOUR image on a Polymer plate

A Quick Tutorial on Using the UV Mark

This step-by-step process shows how easy it is to make a printing plate and starts by using a printed clear film to overlay on the printing plate.  The polymer plates are then exposed through a series of steps which show the final plate hardness.  Due to the different wattage variations of exposure units, the individual exposure times will vary.  Understanding the process will provide best results, which this video aims to do.

UV EXPOSURE UNITS

These units are available in a couple of different sizes, with or without vacuum systems.  The advantage of a vacuum is that the film that is printed is held tightly against the exposure area.  This reduces the The UV exposure units are designed to emit a peak wavelength of 365-368 nm, with an emitting full range of 350-400 nm.  

TTN POLYMER CLICHÉ WASHING UNIT

Equipment for washing out photopolymer pad printing clichés. With this device you are able to wash out polymer pad printing cliché plates evenly. The evenly pressure assures that the cliché depth is the same in the complete surface of the plate. The unit is operated manually. This unit can be used for water washable and alcohol washable pad printing cliché plates.
This unit is available in 2 sizes:

KW 25 35 suitable for max. cliché size 250x350mm.
KW 25 50 suitable for max. cliché size 250x500mm.

RASTER FILMS

To make photopolymer or steel cliché plates, you need raster films to apply a certain raster in the artwork. The type of raster you use, decides for a large part how deep your cliché will be. For large images, it also has the function that it carries the blade or ink cup over the artwork, assuring you don’t scrape the ink out of the cliché. The raster films are available in different versions denoted by either lines per centimeter or lines per inch.  Knowing the differences and when to use the different variations will perfect your pad printed parts.

PLUSH BRUSH

These brushes are used used for washing water washable pad printing clichés or alcohol washable pad printing clichés. They can also be used for cleaning the steel pad printing clichés during the etching process, which will provide a better printing plate if done correctly.