What are offset linear plates?

Answer 1

Offset linear plates are printing press plates. The offset printing process is the most widely used print on paper technology today. To test the printing press for mechanical traits that will affect the printed product, a set of plates is made that is accurate to the shades (tone response) of the original copy (usually photo) and printed on the press to check the accuracy between original copy and printed product. From this test adjustments are made to the plate to compensate for press response (ie: shadows too dark, image too red etc.) so that a standard plate setting is used to adjust the tones to reproduce correctly on press. If you are not a printer this means nothing to you.