Printing Processes

Question 1

Printing processes
Offset lithography
Disadvantages

Answer 1

• colour variation due to water/ink mixture
• paper can stretch due to dampening
• set-up costs make it uneconomic on short runs
• can only be used on flat materials
• requires a good-quality surface

Question 2

Printing processes
Offset lithography
Applications

Answer 2

Business stationery, brochures, posters, magazines, newspapers

Question 3

Printing processes
Flexography
Advantages

Answer 3

• high-speed printing process
• fast-drying inks
• can print on same presses as letterpress

Question 4

Printing processes
Flexography
Disadvantages

Answer 4

• difficult to reproduce fine detail
• colour may not be consistent
• set-up costs high and would rarely be used on print runs below 500,000

Question 5

Printing processes
Flexography
Applications

Answer 5

Packaging, less-expensive magazines, paperbacks, newspaper

Question 6

Printing processes
Screen printing
Advantages

Answer 6

• stencils easy to produce using photo-emulsion technique
• versatile - can print on virtually any surface
• economical for short, hand-produced runs
• fully automatic methods capable of producing large volumes

Question 7

Printing processes
Screen printing
Disadvantages

Answer 7

• generally difficult to archive fine detail (photographic screens able to reproduce fine detail)
• print requires long drying times

Question 8

Printing processes
Screen printing
Applications

Answer 8

T shirts, posters, plastic and metal signage, point-of-sale displays, promotional items, e.g. Pens, glasses and mugs

Question 9

Printing processes
Gravure
Advantages

Answer 9

• consistent colour reproduction
• high-speed printing process
• wildest printing presses
• ink dries upon evaporation
• variety of in-line finishing operations available
• good results on lower-quality paper

Question 10

Printing processes
Gravure
Disadvantages

Answer 10

• high cost of engraved printing plates and cylinders
• only efficient for long print runs
• image printed as ‘dots’ that are visible to the naked eye
• very expensive set-up costs, so only used on large print runs

Question 11

Printing processes
Gravure
Applications

Answer 11

High-quality art and photographically books, postage stamps, packaging, expensive magazines

Question 12

Printing processes
Offset lithography
Advantages

Answer 12

• good reproduction quality, especially photographs
• inexpensive printing process
• able to print on a wide range of papers
• high printing speeds
• widely available

Question 13

Printing processes

Define what happens direct printing

Answer 13

In direct printing the image is transferred directly from the plat cylinder (or image carrier) to the paper, e.g. Gravure, flexography, screen printing l and letterpress printing processes

Question 14

Printing processes

Define what happens in indirect or offset, printing

Answer 14

In indirect, or offset, printing, the image is first transferred from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder and then to the paper, e.g. Offset lithography, which is the most widely used commercial printing process

Question 15

Printing processes
Offset lithography
Advantages

Answer 15

• good reproduction quality, especially photographs
• inexpensive printing process
• able to print on a wide range of papers
• widely available

Question 16

Printing processes
Define
Offset lithography

Answer 16

A method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the print media. The print media, usually paper, does not come into contact with the metal plates.

Question 17

Printing processes
Define
Flexography

Answer 17

A rotary relief printing method using rubber or plastic plates and fluid inks or dyes for printing on frantically and impervious materials such as plastics, as well as on paper.
A form of printing process which utilises a flexible relief plate. It is essentially a modern version of letterpress which can be used for printing on almost any type of substrate, including plastic, metallic firms, cellophane and paper.

Question 18

Printing processes
Define
Screen printing

Answer 18

Force ink or metal onto (a surface) through a prepared screen of fine material so as to create a picture or pattern.

Question 19

Printing processes
Define
Gravure

Answer 19

A type of intaglio printing process, which involves engraving the image onto an image carrier. In gravure printing, the image is engraved into a cylinder because, like offset printing and flexography, it uses a rotary printing process.

Question 20

What does direct printing mean?

Answer 20

Commercial printing processes are distinguished by the method of image is transferred to the paper with directly or indirectly.
In direct printing the image is transferred directly from the plate cylinder (or image carrier) to the paper, e.g. Gravure, flexography, screen printing and letterpress printing processes.

Question 21

What does indirect printing mean?

Answer 21

Commercial printing processes are distinguished by the method of image is transferred to the paper with directly or indirectly.
In indirect, or offset printing, the image is first transferred from the plate cylinder to the blanket cylinder and then to the paper, e.g. Offset lithography, which is the most widely used commercial printing process.