Method of manufacturing an engraved plate
View Patent ↗A method of manufacturing an engraved plate used in intaglio printing, said plate being engraved by a tool, for example a laser beam, characterized in that the engraving tool uses data from a depth-map, based on a three-dimensional raster image of the document to be printed.
1. A precursor plate for the manufacture of intaglio printing plates for intaglio printing of sheets of security papers, wherein said precursor plate comprises a laser-engravable polymer layer within which engravings of various depths and shapes are to be directly engraved, said polymer layer being KAPTON, a polyimide containing dispersed carbon black material.
2. The precursor plate according to claim 1 , wherein said precursor plate is designed to be mounted on a rotating cylinder of a laser engraving machine.
3. The precursor plate according to claim 1 , wherein said precursor plate is constituted of a layered structure comprising the following layers:
a metallic base,
an adhesive layer; and
the polymer layer.
4. Use of a precursor plate for the manufacture by laser engraving of an engraved plate for intaglio printing of sheets of security wherein said precursor plate comprises a laser-engravable polymer layer within which engravings of various depths and shapes are to be directly engraved, said polymer layer being KAPTON, a polyimide containing dispersed carbon black material.
5. A method of manufacturing an engraved plate for intaglio printing of sheets of security papers, wherein a non-engraved plate is submitted to a programmed engraving process by a computer-controlled laser engraving tool, wherein said non-engraved plate is a precursor plate according to claim 1 and wherein said polymer layer of the precursor plate is engraved by said computer-controlled laser engraving tool to form engravings of various depths and shapes directly within said polymer layer, said polymer layer being KAPTON.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said precursor plate further comprises a metallic base.
7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the engraved precursor plate serves as a precursor for producing a nickel alto plate.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the engraved precursor plate is silvered and then subjected to a nickel galvanic bath to form the nickel alto plate.
9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, during engraving, said precursor plate is mounted on a rotating cylinder of a laser engraving machine.