ABSTRACT
In contrast to traditional Talbot-Klic copper photogravure, the materials used in making polymer photogravure plates are relatively benign. There are no acids, mordants, or dichromates needed for this process. In fact, it can be made almost 100% ‘green’ if water-based products such as Akua or Charbonnel Aqua-wash inks are used. The most essential piece of equipment for the polymer photogravure process is the etching press. There are many kinds of etching presses available, but the polymer photogravure process has some process-specific requirements that will influence choice in presses. An etching press is a very simple piece of equipment: it consists of two hard rolls that are in contact with a flat hard bed. These rolls are pushed toward one another, squeezing the bed between them. One of the rolls is turned by either a hand crank or a motor, which propels the bed from one end to the other.
