Description

Camera and platemaking workers operate graphic arts cameras and scanners, assemble film and negatives and prepare, engrave and etch printing plates or cylinders for various types of printing presses. They are employed in firms that specialize in colour graphics or platemaking and cylinder preparation, commercial publishing and printing companies, newspapers, magazines, and in various establishments in the public and private sectors that have in-house printing departments.

Job Titles

• Film stripper-assembler
• Scanner operator – printing

Main Duties

• Set up and adjust black and white or colour separation process cameras to convert graphic art and photographs into film for assembly and exposure onto printing plates or cylinders
• Operate computerized scanning machines or digital cameras to make colour separations and corrections from colour copy or transparencies for use in preparing film, digital files, printing plates or cylinders
• Assemble and position, either using automated equipment or by hand, pieces of film containing all parts of a printing job to produce flats or composite negatives for preparing printing plates or cylinders.

Workplaces

• Colour graphics, platemaking and cylinder preparation companies
• Commercial publishing and printing companies
• In-house printing departments of private and public sector establishments
• Newspapers and magazines

Skills

• Equipment and Tool Selection
• Evaluation
• Operation and Control
• Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment
• Quality Control Testing

Abilities

• Colour Perception
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Auditory Attention
• Categorization Flexibility
• Control of Settings

Personal Attributes

• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability
• Analytical Thinking
• Creativity
• Independence

Similar Occupations

• Graphic arts technicians (52111)
• Graphic designers and illustrators (52120)
• Photographic and film processors (94153)
• Desktop publishing (DTP) operator (in 14112.01 Desktop publishing operators)

Source: OaSIS