Printing Processes
The main industrial printing processes are:
Offset lithography.
Flexography.
Digital printing: inkjet & xerography.
Gravure.
Screen printing.
Fundamentals of
Printing Processes
Sameer Prabhune
M.E. Printing
CEO, Advanced Graphics
Expert, Worldskills International, Print Media Technology
Relief Printing
In relief printing the image to be transferred to paper (or other surface) is
raised above the surface of the printing plate. Ink is applied to the raised
surface then rolled or stamped onto the substrate. The relief printing process is
similar to using an ink pad and stamp such as in rubberstamping.
Flexography and letterpress are forms of relief printing.
“Letter Press”
is a relief type
The first
Letter Press used
letters like this to
Print, in 1440 to
print the bible
Johannes
Gutenberg
Flexography
Frequently used for printing on plastic, foil, acetate film, brown paper,
and other materials used in packaging, flexography or flexographic
printing uses flexible printing plates made of rubber or plastic.
The inked plates with a slightly raised image are rotated on a cylinder
which transfers the image to the substrate. Flexography uses fast-drying
inks, is a high-speed print process, can print on many types of absorbent
and non-absorbent materials, and can print continuous patterns (such as
for gift wrap and wallpaper).
Some typical applications for flexography are paper and plastic bags,
milk cartons, disposable cups, and candy bar wrappers. Flexography
printing may also be used for envelopes, labels, and newspapers.Watch
https://youtu.be/vuGptR330VU
Flexography
Examples of items printed with
Flexography
Intaglio
Intaglio (/ɪnˈtæli.oʊ/ in-TAL-ee-oh; Italian: [in
ˈtaʎʎo]) is the family of printing and
printmaking techniques in which the image
is incised into a surface, and the incised line
or sunken area holds the ink. It is the direct
opposite of a relief print.
Scratched into Metal
Gravure
Gravure is a printing method in which an image is applied to
a printing substrate by use of a metal plate mounted on a
cylinder.
Unlike other processes, gravure uses a depressed or
sunken surface for the desired image. The image to be
reproduced is etched into the metal plate, sometimes with
the use of a laser .
The metal plate is bathed in ink during the process and then
wiped clean before application to the substrate. While
gravure printing can produce high-quality results rapidly, the
costs are significantly higher than other printing methods,
including flexography or various forms of digital printing .
Rotogravure
Fine Engraved Plates/Gravure
Etching
In traditional pure etching, a metal (usually copper,
zinc or steel) plate is covered with a waxy ground
which is resistant to acid. The artist then scratches
off the ground with a pointed etching needle where
he or she wants a line to appear in the finished
piece, so exposing the bare metal.
Offset Lithography Press
http://youtu.be/mDfUtk81aP8
Offset Lithography
Offset Lithography Printing
https://youtu.be/mDfUtk81aP8
Offset Lithography
Offset Lithography
Digital printing
Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a
digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It
usually refers to professional printing where small-run
jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources
are printed using large-format and/or high-volume
laser or inkjet printers.
Digital Printing
It is not Just Your color Ink jet Printer
Xerography, also known as electrophotography, is a
printing and photocopying technique that works on the
basis of electrostatic charges. The xerography process is
the dominant method of reproducing images and printing
computer data and is used in photocopiers, laser printers
and fax machines.
A dye-sublimation printer is a computer printer
which employs a printing process that uses heat to
transfer dye onto materials such as a plastic, card,
paper, or fabric.
Sublimation Dye Transfer
Giclee Printing
Fine Art Printing
Silkscreen/ Serigraphy
Silkscreen process is a a printmaking technique
in which a mesh cloth is stretched over a heavy
wooden frame and the design, Photo emulsion
painted on or affixed by stencil, is printed by
having a squeegee force color through the pores
of the material in areas not blocked out by a glue
sizing.
Silkscreens are more Graphic in
Design
Used a commercial purposes
Silkscreen as Art is Serigraphy
Thank you!
