Installing a direct-to-plate system, the inevitable switch over for all print houses, has enabled Universal Printing to complete print jobs more efficiently and cost effectively. When conventional stripping is removed from the process, many hard-to-avoid and sometimes unavoidable, problematic elements are eliminated. As indicated by the graphic below, as soon as film become involved, a number of variables are introduced. The film has to be stripped, by hand, to pieces of clear plastic. During this process, slip ups with cutting devices can ruin film, film pieces can be stripping at slight angles from each other. There is always the chance of dust and scratches. After the film is stripped, if a matchprint or blueline is being burned, the exposure could be entered incorrectly, plates could be exposed early, and, as mentioned before, dust could be introduced. These problems also occur when burning plates.

Direct-to-plate systems eliminate most of the above problems. If no film is output, no hands are involved to strip incorrectly or to accidently mar. Dust is no issue when process' air exposure is dramatically lessened. Using this system, the information is sent directly from the computer to the output device, whether that is the printer which prints the sherpa, or to the plate device which burns the plates: Less hands, less air, much less hassle.