The development, perfection and introduction of the Aluminotype
Process for duplicating a printing surface in a solid piece is one of
the outstanding accomplishments of The Rapid Electrotype Company, and
marks a distinct step in advance of the other and older methods used
in the graphic arts, for certain classes of printing.
Aluminotypes are much harder than an electrotype or stereotype and
have as sharp and deep a printing face as an electrotype. The
Aluminotype process will reproduce as sharp and clear as the
electrotyping process an eighty line screen half-tone, which is really
too fine a screen for newspaper printing.
A distinct advantage Aluminotypes have is in the item of weight. An
Aluminotype, unmounted, weighs only one quarter as much as an
unmounted electrotype or stereotype of the same size. When mounted on
a wood base an Aluminotype weighs just one half as much as an
electrotype or stereotype of the same size mounted on wood. In a
national advertising campaign where a general list of newspapers is
used Aluminotypes, by reason of their light weight, effect a marked
saving in parcel-post or express charges. This saving in postage is
especially noticeable in the case of foreign country newspaper
campaigns.
In addition, because of their toughness, a saving can be made in
packing Aluminotypes, inasmuch as they do not require the expensive
precautions in packing to avoid injury in transportation that
electrotypes or stereotypes do. They will not bend; their printing
face cannot be injured by the ordinary mishaps attendant upon handling
in transportation. For all practical purposes it can be said that
Aluminotypes are indestructible.