Our Plates

Trans Tech offers a wide range of plastic, laser, thick steel, and thin steel foil printing plates to fit the full spectrum of pad printing applications. Each plate material type has features and benefits that make it suitable for specific requirements and operational budgets.

Pad Printing Plates or Cliches
ITW Trans Tech supplies include pad printing plates.

Thick Steel Plates (10mm)

  • Up to a million impressions
  • Most durable and resistant option
  • Highest precision image
  • Critical image alignment for high tolerance applications
  • Etched at Trans Tech
silver plate

Thin Steel Foil Plate

  • 150,000 impressions
  • Critical image alignment for high tolerance applications
  • Crisp, clean lines
  • Etched at Trans Tech
red plate

Red Polymer Plates

  • 100,000 impressions
  • Highest quality print and longevity of all plastic plates
  • Alcohol wash
  • Red color
  • Variable depth
Pad Printing Plate or Cliche

Express 3 Plates

  • Up to 20,000 impressions
  • No screen – mimics steel for fine lines
  • Green color
  • Alcohol wash
  • 27-30 microns
printing plate

Starlight Laser Plates

  • 20,000 impressions
  • CO2 laser Compatibility
  • Green color
  • Variable depth
orange plate

H2 Orange Plates

  • 15,000 impressions
  • Finer detail due to smaller particles in plate
  • Water Washout
  • Orange color
  • Variable depth
Selection Criteria

Our designated plate making team has over 100 years combined experience in pad printing. We know how to carefully study all relevant factors in order to recommend the printing plate that best fits your specific needs.

Specifically- we look at:

  • Plate performance requirements
  • Application requirements (substrate and geometry)
  • Artwork requirements
  • System requirements

  • Etch depth
  • Artwork positioning on printing plate
  • Print speeds
  • Print volume
  • Selected ink type

pad print engineering
Supporting Supplies

In addition, Trans Tech provides a number of supporting technologies for customers who wish to produce their own.

  • StarLight LPM computer-to-plate, laser plate etcher
  • Trans Tech Exposure Unit
  • 21-Step Grey Scale Test Kit
  • Plate Washout Tray and Supplies

Plate making instructions can be found in our Info Center

starlight laser plate maker
StarLight LPM computer-to-plate, laser plate etcher

Simple, Functional Design

Enables rapid creation of laser plates for short and long run jobs within pre-set parameters of solid, screened, and four-color process.

User-Friendly Input

Easy-to-use software makes importing of graphics and positioning of images on the plate visible and intuitive with minimal learning curve required.

How can we help you meet your pad printing plate challenge?