Printing Processes

Question 1

what does RGB stand for?

Answer 1

red green blue

Question 2

when is RGB colour used ?

Answer 2

• visual displays
• screens
• cameras
• TV’s

Question 3

what does CMYK stand for?

Answer 3

cyan , magenta, yellow and black

Question 4

when is CMYK used?

Answer 4

print media [packaging/magazines]

Question 5

when are spot colours used?

Answer 5

• when the perfect colour cant be made with CMYK

- to cut costs

Question 6

what does graphics software convert?

Answer 6

converts RGB to CMYK ready for printing

Question 7

what is the only process where colours are NOT printed separately?

Answer 7

digital printing

Question 8

what mark checks colour alignment on printed media?

Answer 8

registration marks

Question 9

what are the 4 printing processes?

Answer 9

• screen printing
• digital printing
• offset lithographic printing
• flexographic printing

Question 10

properties of screen printing

Answer 10

• can be done at home or industrially
• jigs speed up process [alignment]
• low set up cost
• cleaned and reused
• used on any substrate

Question 11

how do you prepare a screen?

Answer 11

• coated in photo emulsion
• dried in the dark
• monochrome transparency used to mask areas
• light fixes the photo emulsion to the screen
• excess emulsion washed away

Question 12

how is a print made in screen printing?

Answer 12

screen laid on substrate and ink forced through it

Question 13

what tool is used to spread the ink on a screen?

Answer 13

squeegee

Question 14

how does offset lithography work?

Answer 14

• ink and water added to printing plate
• ink offset onto smooth blanket cylinder
• substrate passes between blanket and impression cylinders

Question 15

properties and uses of offset lithography

Answer 15

• rapid
• low unit cost
• high quality print
• magazines, books and catalogues

Question 16

what are the two areas made on lithography plates and what do they do?

Answer 16

• oleophilic image area that ink attracts to

- hydrophilic non-image area that ink repels from

Question 17

what material is litho printing plate made from?

Answer 17

aluminum

Question 18

properties of flexographic printing

Answer 18

• fast drying water based inks
• efficient
• cheap
• prints on range of materials, substrates and 3D forms

Question 19

how does flexography work?

Answer 19

• ink collected from reservoir
• transferred to anilox roller
• doctor blade controls ink volume reaching the printing plate

Question 20

what type of printing is flexographic and what does it mean?

Answer 20

relief printing [printing from a raised image]

carved wooden block

Question 21

what are the 2 types of digital printing?

Answer 21

inkjet and laser printing

Question 22

how do printers operate?

Answer 22

4 colour printing process

ink and toner monochrome or CMYK

Question 23

properties of digital printing

Answer 23

• digital files sent direct to printer [no plates needed]
• each print customised
• suitable for different substrates
• quality and speed depends on type and printer capabilities
• used for shorter runs

Question 24

what does laser printing do?

Answer 24

transfers toner electrostatically to the substrate

Question 25

what does each colour in a printer require?

Answer 25

a separate drum

Question 26

what charges does the printer have?

Answer 26

drums are positively charged [electrostatic energy] | laser negatively charges drum areas

Question 27

how does laser printing work?

Answer 27

- positively charged toner powder sticks to negative areas - transfer belt picks up toner from all 4 drums - toner deposited onto substrate in 1 operation

Question 28

how does inkjet printing work?

Answer 28

- ink cartridges act as reservoirs for print head - printhead passes over substrate from left to right - tiny translucent ink droplets squeezed each pass - 6 passes needed for sufficient detail

Question 29

negatives of digital printing [4]

Answer 29

- use of CMYK means colours not matched accurately - surface damage common [ink sat on surface] - expensive for large volume runs - few compatible substrates

Question 30

positives of digital printing

Answer 30

- fast lead time - customizable - easy to use