Gravure Print

Gravure Printing [*aka Rotogravure, Intaglio] was the preferred process for long run 4 color publication printing (magazines & catalogs) in the 1950s & until about 2020.  Gravure is primarily used for packaging today.  Offset printing can now print longer runs and wider webs needed for publications, with lower prepress costs and less environmental impact than Gravure.

Photos of Gravure presses from that era are hard to come by, as the large printing companies who did Pubilcation Gravure were very secretive and competitive.  The photos below are stock photos from equipment resellers and product manuals.

The Offset process relies on photographic exposure of a plate, whereas Gravure uses copper plated cylinders.  Prior to the mid-60s the cylinders were etched.  The invention of the Helioklischograph refined the process by using diamond stylus engrave heads to cut cells into the copper cylinders.

The above photos are of the first generation of Publication Helios model K193.  Not shown is the scanning portion of the machine (similar device but instead of engrave heads there were scan heads and a scan drum where the film was mounted).

Below are photos of the next generations of Helios, which started with the K202 in the 1980s.  By the 1990s the scan drum and film was eliminated, and the engrave heads were run digitally.

Below are some photos of Publication Gravure presses.  

This page is still under construction.  If you should have any photos or commentary that you would like to add please email it to me.