The document describes several different printing processes: gravure, offset lithography, flexography, screen printing, and photocopying. Gravure uses engraved copper plates to produce high-quality images but is very expensive. Offset lithography uses three cylinders - plate, offset, and impression - to transfer ink economically onto various surfaces. Flexography is a high-speed relief process using rubber plates, though quality varies slightly between products. Screen printing can be used on all materials but is slow to dry. Photocopying replicates images photographically and electrically onto paper but the ink is costly.

1. Gravure Offset lithograph Flexography Screen printing. Photocopying
Gravure is a printing process The offset lithograph uses three This is a relief printing style. Its Screen printing is a highly ver- Photocopying is where an image,
which produces high quality im- stones to produce images. It is is like letter press which is the satile process which is its largest text or illustrations are replicated
ages. This is its biggest assets. an economic way of printing oldest form of printing, but advantage as it can be used on photographically. It is a fast and
However a disadvantage of this and can be used on many varie- flexography printing uses rub- all materials. However it is a detailed way of producing prod-
method is that it is extremely ty of surfaces. However it does ber plates. This makes it more very slow process because of ucts. However it is expensive be-
expensive. It is expensive be- not always include a high quali- flexible. It is a high speed way the need for it to dry. cause of the ink.
cause of its use of copper plates ty of service. of printing and is cost effective
which are costly to make. however it is not of the highest A piece of synthetic fiber is Photocopiers work by using light
The three cylinders are; the quality with each product dif- stretched tightly onto a frame. to electrically imprint an imag-
The way it works is, a copper plate, offset and impression cyl- fering slightly. The image wanted is then sten- ine.
printing plate has an image en- inders. The plate cylinder is ciled onto this fiber. Thick ink is Inside a photocopier an alumi-
graved onto it. This produces inked using inking rollers. This It uses an impression roller then rolled onto the entire sheet. num drum is given an electrically
cells which are filled with ink ink is transferred onto the offset with a raised impression area. The ink goes through the sten- charge.. A piece of paper is then
on the copper plate. Then the cylinder which rollers onto the These raised bits are inked us- ciled are onto the material un- put onto the glass and the light is
paper is forced onto the plate paper. The image is produced ing inking rollers which are derneath. However the un- projected through the paper
and pressed so the ink marks the by the ink imprint the paper be- covered in high density ink. and stenciled areas do not let the ink which imprints the image onto
paper. cause of the impression cylin- then this ink is pressed onto a through so the background re- the drum. The drum is then
der at the bottom. Both the im- piece of paper leaving marks mains clear. sprayed with ink to replicate the
Gravure printing produces pack- pression and offset cylinders where the plate is raised. image this is then imprinted onto
aging for many products as well work together to imprint the This process is used for signs, t- the paper exactly.
as many expensive magazines image, which is on the impres- This process is used for news- shirts and posters. It is another
and art/ photography books. It is sion cylinder. papers and magazines also for highly versatile printing process. This process is used to make
also used for high quality imag- books. Images are not done us- books, posters, leaflets and most
es. This process can be used to ing this is if high quality is products outside industry for pri-
make posters, leaflets and la- needed because of the incon- vate usage.
bels. It is a highly versatile sistency.
means of printing. Flexography printing process.
Copper printing plate.
Packaging from
gravure
printing
Printing Process Alex Czirok-Carman