System for making covering masks for use in photoengraving

A system for making covering mask which is used for the photoengraving process to cover a negative or positive leaving a predetermined image thereon uncovered and which is made by removing that area of a light shielding layer, which corresponds to the predetermined image, from a stripping film, said system comprising:

• means for making a hard copy on which negative or positive images are printed while being enlarged to a certain magnification;
• means for inputting coordinates data representing the outline of the predetermined image on the hard copy, said input means including a tabulator board on which the hard copy is placed and a tracing means freely movable on the tabulator board, the tracing means being moved along the outline of the predetermined image on the hard copy so that the position of the tracing means on the tabulator board is inputted as the coordinates data;
• means for processing the coordinates data inputted through the input means and outputting an instruction about the outline of the predetermined image which has been reduced to a value equal to the certain magnification;
• and
• means for cutting the light shielding layer of the stripping film responsive to the instruction outputted from the process means, said cutting means including a working face on which the stripping film is fixed, a cutter for cutting the light shielding layer of the stripping film, and a plotter for supporting the cutter on the working face and moving it thereon responsive to the instruction outputted from the process means.