Answered by Clarence Penge, Product Manager, Heidelberg USA

Question:
What does "plate negatives" mean? Does it mean the negatives will be "stripped", ready for the printer to plate?

Answer:
Plate negatives refer to the film used to make plates. The film or plate negative is either supplied from an image setter or from the traditional camera which in today’s print shop is a rare find. The film would need to be stripped or assembled on a light table aligning each color together to assure proper registration on press. Most print shops today have gone to CTP (computer to plate) devices, basically imaging a metal or poly plate in register. This eliminates the output and assembly of film which saves time, material and money.