Electrotypers and Stereotypers

Fabricate and finish electrotype and stereotype printing plates.

Job Task

• Forms mold of composed type, using plastic sheet-molding or wood-fiber mat, and hydraulic press.
• Corrects defects on plate, using engraver's hand tools, punches, and hammers.
• Operates automatic casting machine to produce electrotype or stereotype printing plates.
• Inserts pins in base to register stereotype plates to key plate for mat molding.
• Mounts finished plates on wood or metal blocks for flatbed presses, using hammer, nails, or bonding press.
• Curves plates for cylinder presses, using plate-curving machine.
• Cuts and pastes pieces of paper-felt or cardboard in nonprinting areas of wood-fiber mat to prevent collapse during casting.
• Operates proof press to obtain proof of plate reproduction and registration.
• Examines plate to detect imperfect formation of lines, type, and halftone dots, using magnifier.
• Sprays plastic mold with silver solution and immerses mold in plating tank.
• Trims mat, using trimming machine, by aligning notches of mat with pins on trimming machine.
• Aligns and notches mats of color series with key color mat, using matching machine with monocolor magnifier attachment.
• Removes excess metal from edges, back, and nonprinting surface areas of plate, using power shear, milling machines, or routing machine.
• Pours metal into casting box or plated mold by hand to produce electrotype or stereotype printing plates.
• Drills matching holes in series of mounted color stereotype plates to be duplicated.

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