For many years printers have been asking for an instrument that can read printing plates. Rather that design a new instrument, most densitometer manufacturers told printers that their instruments can read a printing plate. This is true some of the time, for some of the plates that are being sold today. In 1996 GATF did a study to determine if densitometers could read plates. Ultimately the data showed that the same densitometer had different dot gain curves on different plates.
Smaller dots produce more variability in measurements of printing plates.
Clearly there was a need for an instrument that can provide consistant and accurate readings on any printing plate regardless of the aforementioned variables. Replaceable 9 volt battery. 12 Month warranty. The plates were selected by GATF based on their inventory. In addition the unit GATF tested was a beta unit to which several modifications have been made.