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Why is Communication Important?

The History of Communication

Producing Visual Images

Printing Processes

Binding & Finishing

Segments of the Industry

Vocabulary

Printing Processes

Printing has always been the process of putting ink to a substrate using a printing press. The process is most cost efficient for making duplicates in large quantities.

Offset Web Presses and Offset Sheet-fed Presses

Both need a master or a plate from which to print.

Web presses print on rolls of paper whereas sheet-fed presses print on individual sheets of paper fed into the machine using a combination of air, (blown and vacuum), and friction.

Other types of processes:

Relief Printing is the older method of printing. It requires a raised image on which ink is spread. Paper is then pressed onto the raised image and the ink is transferred to the substrate. Letterpress and flexography are both relief printing processes.

Planography is the process of printing from a flat surface and is based on the concept that oil and water do not mix. We use offset lithography in our course.

The intaglio printing process has an image etched into a metal plate. The plate is then covered with ink, and a steel blade is run over the plate leaving the ink in the etched portions. When the paper is run over the plate, the ink is transferred to it.

Porous Printing is known more now as screen printing.

Impactless Printing is where ink or toner is shot into the paper through small nozzles.

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