What types of printing plates are used in Pad Printing?
Pad printing plates—also called clichés—hold the artwork used in the pad printing process. Deco Tech supplies water-wash and alcohol-wash photopolymer plates, laser-processable polymer plates, and chemically etched steel plates. To choose between them, first identify how the plate will be imaged and what your printing machine requires.
Compare the plate types
| Plate option | Processing route | Deco Tech Plates & Thicknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Water-wash photopolymer | UV exposure and water washout | H₂OPRO™ — 0.43 mm |
| Alcohol-wash photopolymer | UV exposure and alcohol-based washout | IMAGEPRO™ — 0.43 mm; DURAPRO™ — 0.52 mm |
| Laser-processable polymer | Direct laser imaging with a compatible system | LASER PRO II™ — 0.50 mm |
| Thin steel | Chemical etching | 0.5 mm steel cliché |
| Thick steel | Chemical etching | 10 mm steel cliché |
Match the plate material and thickness to your machine and production requirements. View Deco Tech’s polymer and steel pad printing plates for the range.
Photopolymer versus laser-processable plates
Water- and alcohol-wash photopolymer plates use a light-sensitive layer. IMAGEPRO is processed with UV exposure, alcohol-based washout and finishing steps. Follow the processing instructions for the plate material you are using.
LASER PRO II is a 0.50 mm laser-processable polymer plate for CO₂, YAG and fiber laser systems. Set the engraving parameters for the plate material and laser in use.
Thin steel versus thick steel plates
We chemically etch 0.5 mm thin steel and 10 mm thick steel plates. Select the thickness required by your machine and plate holder. Cycle-life figures are estimates, not guaranteed plate life.
Finished plates or in-house plate making?
Order finished, imaged plates or blanks for in-house processing. For in-house plate making, follow the exposure, washout or laser procedure for the selected plate.
For IMAGEPRO processing instructions, see the IMAGEPRO processing bulletin. PROTOPRO has its own plate-processing instructions; its procedure should not be substituted for IMAGEPRO’s.
What information helps select a pad printing plate?
Provide your machine model, required plate dimensions and thickness, mounting-hole pattern, artwork and expected production quantity. Include whether you need finished plates or have equipment to process them yourself.
Ask Deco Tech about plate selection, or compare the available pad printing plates and clichés.
