Q: How good does my artwork have to be to make a good quality Cliché?

A: Your toner on your artwork transparency film must be very solid so as not to allow any UV light to pass through to the Cliché. Your artwork should be printed using a good quality laser printer with a minimum of 600 dpi. In pad printing you must remember the following:
Poor Quality Artwork leads to a Poor Quality Cliché which results in Poor Quality Printing.

Q: When held to light, the toner on my laser printed artwork seems semi transparent and appears to let light through. How do I solve this problem? 

A: This is a common problem when using some of the cheaper and older laser printers. This problem can be solved by using our toner density spray used with a heat gun which, when applied, will make the toner on your artwork transparency film darker and denser.

Q: Can I print my artwork onto normal paper to make negatives?

Y: No. You would need to use the artwork transparency film.     

Q: Do I simply print out my artwork on transparency artwork film as normal?

Y: No. You would need to print your artwork out in "Mirror image". Most DTP and graphics programmes will have this option when you go to your print page.

Q: Can I reuse the same artwork transparency film for making a repeat Cliché?

A: Yes, you can.

Q: Do I need a Cliché for every print job - no matter how simple?

A: Yes, You are able to incorporate two jobs onto one Cliché. This would save you time and money.

Q: Rather than buying a platemaker to make Clichés, are there trade houses that offer a Cliché making service? 

A: Yes, there are many companies who will make and send them to you, but it will always be cheaper and faster to make them yourself. This will not only save you a great deal of money but will also offer you convenience of being able to make Clichés, in-house and within 15 minutes from your artwork.

Q: How long will a Polymer Cliché last?

A: Generally, it is estimated that between 5,000 to 10,000 impressions can be achieved from each Cliché.

Q: Do I need any chemicals to process Polymer Clichés on our platemaker? 

A: No, our Clichés are water washable and no chemicals are used in the development process.