Unit Chemical Operations in the Preparation of Gravure Cylinders.

Gravure depends for success upon the proper control of several chemical reactions in each of several steps of the process. This paper discusses a study, undertaken to set up a system of scientific standard controls which include (1) the photo-chemical process by which carbon tissue is made light sensitive; (2) the knowledge of and methods for retarding other chemical reactions which occur as the carbon tissue is being made light sensitive; (3) identification of the reactions which occur when copper is attacked by an etching fluid to produce a printing plate; (4) proper composition of such a solution as it affects both the penetration of a thin membrane and the attack on the metal; (5) the electrochemistry of plating cylinders with copper; and (6) the characteristics of the copper plating.