What is Printing

Printing directly or indirectly is the act of immobilizing characters or other isomorphs as ink on Paper or other materials through a plate to deliver and preserve human culture more quickly, in bulk, and accurately. The printing process is completed by transferring the ink to the plate through the printing machine to the printed object, such as Paper, and fixing it.

Since the original function of print is a visual communication medium, printing is one of the communication means. Recently, it is also used as a decoration for sensory and emotional responses.

To produce prints, typography, the reproduction technique to create images, is used. In typography, ink is applied to a particular plate surface, and the ink is transferred to another material. Paper is mainly used, but in addition, cellophane, polyethylene, vinyl, wood, glass, ceramics, aluminum, tin plate, etc. It is a multi-copy technique. The purpose of the text is to typeset by typesetting or phototype and to reproduce the drawings and photos using a halftone plate, primary color plate, multicolor offset plate, etc.

The range of printing is extensive, from imitation plate printing to high-speed web printing. In addition, with the progress of consumer civilization, printing is famous not only on Paper but also on metal plates as well as on transparent materials such as cellophane. This entered as a printing method, in addition to using the conventional three plate types such as convex plate, flat plate, and intaglio plate, the use of stencil printing is increasing, and electrostatic printing is printed without pressing force.  A method has been invented and is being actively put into practice.

Materials use for Printing

There are several methods of printing, Such as:  Manuscript,  Printing plate,  Printing press, Paper and Printing Ink.

Manuscript (copy):

There are various types and forms of manuscripts for printing, such as text written on the manuscript, photo design, painting, color film, and color printing.   Among them, most of the sentences written in the manuscript have typesetting or phototypesetting.  Most of the sentences written on the manuscript are reproduced on floppy disks printed with type or phototypesetting, a word processor, and a personal computer. Others are produced on a film created by applying photography and electronic technology.

Printing plate:

The printing plate is an intermediate configured to print characters and pictures as the original text and transfers the ink onto the surface to be published. The scale determines the precision of the print,  and there are various types and methods of plate making.

For example, various methods have been applied, such as manual plate making, mechanical plate making,  using photographic technology or chemical action, and applying electrical and electronic technology. The plate is divided into a caustic part and a non-caustic part. The part covered with ink is the caustic part, and the part not covered with ink is the non-caustic part.

Printing press:

A  Printing press or Printing machine is a  machine that produces printed matter by transferring the ink on the plate to the object to be printed. The printing method differs according to the structure that applies pressure, and the type and structure of the printing press vary according to the type of plate and the type of printed matter.

Paper:

There are many printed materials, and the most used among them is Paper. The habitual printing on Paper is called general printing, and printing on metal, synthetic resin, glass, etc., is called special printing. There are so many different types of Paper. 

• Inkjet Printer Paper 

• Laser Printer Paper 

• Matte 

• Bright White 

• Glossy

•  Card Stock 

• Resume

Printing ink:

Printing ink is a viscous fluid made of pigment and vehicle. However, today's printing inks use dyes instead of pigments depending on their types and also use various types of vehicles.

Types of Printing Method

Printing methods are broadly classified into four types: convex printing, lithographic printing, intaglio printing, and stencil printing, according to the shape of the printing plate transmitted to the object to be printed.

Convex printing:

In the plate used for relief printing, the caustic part where ink is applied is higher than the non-caustic part. Prints are usually sharp and make a strong impression. Because the caustics of the plate are convex, some press marks protrude on the back side of the printed matter, and areas with high ink density appear as outline stains on the image's border. Types of convex plates include woodblocks, letterpress plates, linear convex plates, convex photo plates, photosensitive resin plates, and rubber plates.

Lithographic printing, planographic printing:

It is a printing method that chemically engraves using the repulsion force between water and fat. There is no difference in height between the caustic and non-caustic parts. The ship part is treated photochemically to receive only moisture. 

Flatbed printing is mainly used for color printing, such as calendars, posters, catalogs, advertisements, and maps, which are commercially printed materials. There are several types of flat plates: slab, white plate, flat plate, multi-layer plate, wipe-on plate, and PS plate.

Intaglio printing:

In the plate used for intaglio printing, the caustics are concave, and ink is filled in the container for printing. There are photo engraving plates and engraving plates. In general, photo engraving plates are called gravure plates.

The printed materials of the engraving plate include banknotes, checks, and stock certificates, and these are printed with fine lines, which can be identified by touch because the ink is thickly attached. Gravure prints include art, photos, wood grain, natural stone patterns, wrapping paper, and cigarette packs. Although the plate-making cost is relatively high, these printing methods are excellent in photo printing due to the rich ink density.

Stencil printing:

Screen printing is representative of stencil printing. The plate used here is engraved so that a mesh hole appears in the caustic part, and the ink passes through the mesh hole and is attached to the object to be printed. In the non-caustic part, the photosensitive film does not pass through.

In screen printing, the ink is thickly attached, the density is abundant, and it is possible to print on curved surfaces. Screen prints include plastic containers, glass, ceramics, metal, cloth, vinyl, and leather products.