We have investigated the generation of pretilt angle for a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) alignment with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using thin plastic substrates. It was found that monodomain alignment of NLC is obtained with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using thin plastic substrates. The NLC pretilt angles generated are about 3$^{circ}$ by the rubbing alignment method on thin plastic substrates, However, the pretilt angle are at about 1.7$^{circ}$ lower on the glass substrate than on thin plastic substrate. We obtain that AFM (atomic force microscope) image of rubbed PI surface with polymer film has formed the micro-groove structure at the low curring temperature (120$^{circ}C$). However, no grooves are obtained on the glass substrate at the same temperature. It is considered that this alignment may be attributed to roughness of micro-groove substrate. The tilt angle increases with increasing baking temperature for making polyimide layer using glass substrate. It was concluded that the pretilt angle in the polyimide surface is attributable to the increasing of imidization rato.