Method for registration of ferromagnetic metal base printing plates on an external magnetic drum imagesetter

1. Apparatus for registration and loading of ferromagnetic metal-based printing plates, comprising:

a magnetic cylinder having registration holes;

a loading table;

a spacer tray of non-magnetic material; and

at least one pair of registration pegs receivable in said registration holes;

said spacer tray having geometrical dimensions compatible with at least one type of said ferromagnetic metal-based printing plates, and a thickness suitable for minimizing the magnetic attraction force to said magnetic cylinder;

said spacer tray being formed with two slots at its leading edge compatible in size and spacing with said registration holes.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of said registration pegs includes a knurled handle, and a pin receivable in said registration hole.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said loading table is positioned to facilitate the loading of said printing plates to said magnetic cylinder.

4. A method for registration and loading of ferromagnetic metal-based printing plates to a magnetic cylinder, comprising:

providing a magnetic cylinder having first and second registration holes, and at least one pair of registration pegs;

providing a loading table and a non-magnetic material spacer tray;

attaching to said spacer tray a pre-punched ferromagnetic metal-based printing plate having first and second registration holes;

placing said spacer tray with attached printing plate on said loading table;

sliding forward said spacer tray with attached printing plate, leading edge first, towards said magnetic cylinder;

using a first registration peg of said pair of registration pegs to register the plate's first punched registration hole to the cylinder's corresponding first registration hole;

using a second registration peg of said pair of registration pegs to register the plate's second punched registration hole to the cylinder's corresponding second registration hole;

rotating the cylinder to wrap and attach said ferromagnetic metal-based printing plate to said magnetic cylinder;

simultaneously releasing and removing said spacer tray, and

removing said one pair of registration pegs from said cylinder.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said first punched registration hole is a round hole.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said second punched registration hole is an oval hole.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said rotating is clockwise.