Hot Stamping Plate Making Process

Plate or die making is the key of hot foil stamping. Water solutable photopolymer plate is currently the simplest, fastest and least—cost plate making method.

This photopolymer plate has two layers: the upper layer is photopolymer plate about 0.03 inch thickness,part of it will solidify after UV exposure, while the rest part without exposure can dissolve in the water. The lower layer is aluminum plate, about 0.008 inch thickness.

Step 1: Design on computer and print the image

Design the image on your computer use software and print the image on the transparent film.

First, print the texts you designed in computer on the inkjet film with inkjet printer.
Note:
1.  This inkjet film is only coated on one side. Print texts on the coated (matte) side of the film!
2.   Mirror print the texts or the images.
3.  The texts should be white color(transparent), all the other area should be in black color.
4.  The image is well-resisting and you can use it next time.

The image should be printed transparent and the other area need be printed black color. The black color should be as black as possible. The printing ink must be black enough. Original ink is preferd. It is better for customers who use a laser printer to use original cartridges, for domestic cartridges added later is not black enough which can also affect the quality of the plate.

In order to ensure the effect of platemaking, when using laser or ink-jet printing film, please print positive image

Step 2: Cover the film on the plate

Cover printing side of transparent film on the plate,  To make sure they contact tightly and no bubbles in between, adhend the edge with transparent tape tightly.

Step 3: Exposing the plate

Place the plate on the UV exposing machine with suitable pressure above to ensure that the plate closes to the glass tightly.

Set time for 40 seconds using UV exposing machine. Turn on the switch, when the time is over, ultraviolet light is off, the buzzer rings, then turn off the switch. Take out the plate. The plate area below the black film area will be cliched by UV light.

(If you use other types of exposing machine, please do experiments in advance to master the best time of exposure.)

Remove the film.

Step 4: Wash the plate

Place the plate into warm water about 104-122F (40-50℃), and brush the surface gently with a soft brush. Firstly, you should brush a few times rotating in clockwise direction, then brush in reverse direction a few times. Brush the parts between lines carefully.

After the needed image is left on the plate, the other part is dissolved (sometimes we can directly see the aluminum at the bottom of the plate) and the image becomes clear.

Step 5: Post exposing

Place the plate on the exposing machine again, set time for 60-80 seconds, solidify again.

Finishing the above step, plate making is finished and can be used to press.

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