THE STEREOTYPE PLATE
Meanwhile stereotyping was introduced into newspaper printing. In stereotyping an impression in plastic material is made of the type face and then a casting is made from this impression which, of course, exactly duplicates the type face. The type is thus relieved from wear in the press and it is immediately released for use in setting up other copy while the printing is done from the stereotype plate. While the use of stereotyping in book printing dates back to the eighteenth century, it was not thought practicable for newspaper printing because of the length of time taken in making the plate, but in 1861 papier-maché was introduced as a matrix material and a system of rapidly drying the mold was developed so that a plate could be cast in a comparatively short time; furthermore, impressions could be made from a flat face of type and then the mold could be bent so as to make curved stereotype plates for use on the cylinder presses. In newspaper work it takes but five minutes to make a stereotype plate. Stereotype metal does not stand the wear of printing very long and the plates must be renewed from time to time. This fits in well with newspaper requirements because clean cut work is not called for, and as the news keeps coming in new editions must constantly be printed, which means that new plates must be made from time to time. For the finer printing of magazines and books, copper-faced electrotype plates are used in place of the soft stereotype plates of newspaper printing.