Lithographic Negatives & Plates Manufacturing is a specialized industry that involves the production of printing plates and negatives used in the lithographic printing process. Lithographic printing is a printing process that involves the use of a flat plate with a design area that is inked and then transferred onto paper or other materials. The plates and negatives used in this process are typically made from aluminum or other metals and are coated with a light-sensitive emulsion that is exposed to light through a negative or other image carrier. The exposed areas of the emulsion harden and become resistant to ink, while the unexposed areas remain soft and receptive to ink. The plates and negatives are then developed, washed, and dried before being used in the printing process.