Intaglio Platemaking for the Future from Jura and OEBS

There is a well-known saying that ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’, which could well be applied to the cooperative project between Jura (the developer of security prepress systems including software and hardware solutions) and OeBS (the Austrian banknote printer) to develop direct engraved steel (S-DLE) intaglio printing plates, thus eliminating the use of an environmentally dangerous process and materials.

The initial development, which began in 2005, involved Direct Laser Engraving (DLE®) to create copper alloy printing plates. But their durability, measured in prints per plate, failed to impress printers. This led Jura and OeBS to cooperate in a programme that would eventually achieve the goal of environmentally friendly plate engraving with industry acceptable durability, an achievement that has led to a significant improvement in the banknote printing process.

Jura and OeBS developed software and hardware to cover the whole intaglio plate making process and which was suitable for all plate materials, including stainless steel and copper alloy. The new S-DLE method was both laboratory and print tested over a period scanning many years.