plate burning

plate burning

[′plāt ‚bərn·iŋ] (graphic arts) After a negative has been prepared for an engraving, it is placed on the plate in a vacuum frame; the rays from the light source “burn” the plate, passing through the transparent areas of the negative and hardening the plate surface coating; this coating is later developed and the unexposed areas washed away; plates are also burned for offset printing.