Fuel cell plate with variable thickness sealing beads

An apparatus comprising: at least two plates aligned parallel to each other, each plate having a plurality of bolt apertures; a first resilient bead disposed on a portion of a surface of at least one of said plates; a second resilient bead disposed on a portion of said surface about and adjacent to said bolt apertures of said at least one plate, wherein said first and second beads have a plurality of thicknesses, each adapted to reduce variations in plate stress as a function of proximity of each bolt apertures to said first or second bead.