Four printing processes we have looked into a little bit are:
- Rotary printing
- Digital printing
- Screen printing
- Pad printing
The three main types = Offset Lithography, Flexography and Rotogravure
In these processes, the printing plates are wrapped around cylinders. Print material can either be sheet fed or on rolls.
Lithography: (planographic)
Aluminium plates are etched intoand wrapped around a cylinder. The ink is transferred onto a rubber blanket roller and then print surface.
For a larger amount of prints, web press is used, which prints on a continuous roll of paper. This is typically used for newspapers or books for example.
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Flexography: (relief)
'A positive, mirror image rubber polymer plate, on a cylinder, transfers 'sticky' ink directly to print surface. Usually roll feed.'
Flexography is very versitile and can print on many material, such as paper, plastic, metallic films...
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The relief plate used for flexography is molded rubber or photopolymer materials, with the image raised above the non-image areas on the plate.
The 'anilox' roller applies ink to the raised areas on the plate, and that is then transferred onto the substrate
Rotogravure: (intaglio)
Copper plates (with mirror image) transfers ink directly to print surface (usually on rolls).
The plates are durable, so good for long print runs.
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