Tagless printing plates, are etched plates used in the pad printing process to hold the artwork for a tagless garment label. The etch quality and depth will ultimately determine how the final tagless print will look. Careful consideration in choosing the right plate material and etching method will all affect the clarity, durability and consistency of the final tagless print.
Chemically etching = requires the use of a photopolymer plate material – a hands-on process that follows three main stages: exposure, line screening, and washing.
Stage 1: First UV Exposure
The artwork is printed onto a film positive, a transparent sheet with the design printed in solid black. This sheet is placed over the photopolymer plate and exposed to UV light for 5–10 minutes. Any area of the plate not covered by the black ink hardens during this step.
Stage 2: Line Screen Exposure
The film positive is replaced with a line screen, a transparent sheet covered in thousands of tiny dots, available in either 200 or 300 lines per inch depending on how bold or fine the image needs to be.
The line screen serves three purposes:
The plate is exposed to UV light again for 5–10 minutes.
Stage 3: Washing and Drying
Once both exposures are complete, the plate is washed using either an alcohol-based developer or a water-wash solution, depending on the plate material. This step removes all uncured photopolymer, leaving behind the finished etched plate.
The plate must be completely dry before use. It is typically placed in a drying oven for 10–15 minutes.
Polymer platemaking is a time-consuming process that requires the use of many consumables. It is, however, a much lower start-up cost than laser platemaking. Polymer platemaking has a lot of room for error, therefore it is important to keep exposure times as accurate as possible.
Additional Resources
The Effects of UV Light on Photopolymer Plates
Photopolymer Platemaking Exposure Times
Check out the whole platemaking process here
Check out the whole process hereLaser etching a tagless pad printing plate requires the use of a laser engraving machine. Not all lasers are created equally. The most common laser types are Fiber, CO2, and Diode. Each type of laser has unique properties such as power, speed, and dot size. All of which are critical to the etching of a plate.
Regardless of the type of laser platemaker, the laser etching process still works relatively the same:
Laser etching a tagless pad printing plate is a more efficient plate-making method than chemical etching. Change the artwork on the fly, no need to use any consumables, and the etching speed is much faster. The quality of an etched laser plate is generally much higher than a photopolymer plate and the artwork is 100% repeatable. In addition, laser platemaking is cost-competitive with photopolymer plate making.
Additional Resources
Can I Etch Plates with My CO2 Laser?
What’s the difference between Fiber and CO2 Lasers?
Whats the difference between Fiber and CO2 Lasers?A wide variety of pad printing plate materials are available, each with unique properties to facilitate a successful garment print. Choosing the right plate relies heavily on the type of etching method being used. Questions to ask:
Each plate material is developed to absorb a particular type of laser wavelength. There are specific plates for fiber lasers, most of which are made of metal material and typically last longer than other plates. Plates for CO2 lasers are etched on a variety of plate materials and can range in life depending upon the material.
Check out our plate selection tool to find the right plate materialTagless pad printing plate materials can be confusing, so it is important to know how you want to etch them and understand the differences.
| Plate etching method | How it works | Best for | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical etching | Uses UV exposure, film positives, screen film and washout chemistry. | Lower startup cost and traditional plate-making workflows. | More hands-on, more consumables and more room for operator error. |
| Laser etching | Uses a laser platemaker to engrave the artwork directly into the plate. | Faster changeovers, repeatability and less consumable use. | Requires compatible laser equipment and plate material. |
If you would rather skip the etching process yourself, a plate etching service can handle it for you. Just send in your artwork, and you will receive a finished etched plate in just a few days.
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