Camera, Platemaking and Other Prepress Workers

Nature of work

Camera and platemaking workers use graphic arts cameras and scanners, assemble film and negatives and prepare, engrave and etch printing plates or cylinders for different types of printing presses. They work for firms that specialize in colour graphics or platemaking and cylinder preparation, commercial publishing and printing companies, newspapers, magazines, and in various organizations in the public and private sectors that have in-house printing departments.

Job duties

Graphic arts camera operators:

• Set up and adjust black and white or colour separation process cameras to convert graphic art and photographs into film for assembly and exposure onto printing plates or cylinders.

Cylinder preparers:

• Grind and polish press cylinders; expose and lay down carbon tissue; and etch or engrave cylinders using hand tools, etching machines, photogravure or laser processes to produce cylinders for gravure presses.

Film strippers and assemblers:

• Assemble and position, either using automated equipment or by hand, pieces of film containing all parts of a printing job to produce flats or composite negatives for preparing printing plates or cylinders.

Platemakers:

• Use vacuum frames, plate processors and step and repeat machines to produce printing plates for different types of presses.

Prepress technicians:

• Use a variety of computer-controlled studio systems to perform colour separation, retouching and editing that allow changes to be made to a colour negative for printing purposes, plan page layouts and electronically alter shape, size and positions of illustrations and text.

Scanner operators:

• Use computerized scanning machines or digital cameras to make colour separations and corrections from colour copy or transparencies for use in preparing film, digital files, printing plates or cylinders.

Proofmakers:

• Use computerized equipment to prepare film, laser or dylux proofs for quality control purposes or for customers' review.

Sample job titles

• camera operator
• cylinder preparer
• dot etcher
• file preparation operator
• film stripper-assembler
• platemaker
• pre-flight operator
• prepress technician
• printing plate engraver
• proofmaker
• screenmaker
• studio-image processing system operator

Skills

• You should be responsible and alert. Coordination and a mechanical skill are important. You must also be able to take direction and carry out instructions given by a supervisor.

Job requirements

• High school is usually required.
• A college program in graphic arts technology or a combination of on-the-job training and specialized college, industry or other courses is required.

Other considerations

• There is some movement among the various types of jobs within this group. Movement to supervisor positions is possible with experience.

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Contacts

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