Plate material for laser plate making

An intaglio for mounting onto a printing apparatus and being scraped by an ink removal device, the intaglio for engaging a paper or film to be printed, the intaglio comprising:

• a uniform mixture of a thermoplastic resin, a light absorbing agent and an ink repellent, the uniform mixture formed into a uniform structure having a surface which engages the ink removal device,
• the ink repellent being present in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to about 20%, the ink repellent being present in said amount so that the ink repellent is compatible with the thermoplastic resin so that the entire intaglio has uniform ink repellent properties,
• the ink repellent is a fluorine water-repellent other than polytetrafluoroethylene, a siliconate water-repellent, a siliconate oil-repellent, a silicone water-repellent, a silicone oil repellent, an acrylic resin water-repellent, an acrylic resin oil-repellent or mixtures thereof, the ink repellent being free of polytetrafluoroethylene,
• the intaglio further including a plurality of concavities formed in the surface by radiation of laser light, the concavities accommodating ink to be transferred to the paper or film,
• the surface including a plurality of scratches disposed between concavities and caused by engagement between the surface and the ink removal device, the scratches being shallower in depth than the concavities, the ink repellent preventing ink from being accommodated in the scratches and being transferred to the paper or film.