Lesson One

 

Printing Industry

 

Printing Industry encompasses numerous fields of every economy. Printing Industry generates a

wide range of products which require in every step of our everyday life.

 

 Newspapers, Magazines, Books, Post Cards and Business Order Forms each are the products of

Printing Industry.

Other than the direct contributions, there are many indirect influences of Printing Industry up on

the economy. This is because, all the activities like Binding, Embossing which generate

considerable amount of income and employment are related closely with the Printing Industry.

Packaging industry and Advertising Industry in many ways depend on the Printing Industry.

In the Printing Industry, the main Printing Techniques that are used are:

 

Lithography-This technique emphasizes on economical use of color. Used for printing

magazines, catalogues, books and metal cans.

Flexography- This technique produces vibrant colors and is used for printing newspapers,

books flexible packaging and labels.

Gravure-This technique is famous for Print Quality and Print Formats and is mainly used for

product printing to be used in packaging industry.

Letterpress-This technique is used when printing is done on raised surfaces. (Stationary,

packaging, plastic containers and newspapers)

Screen Printing-This technique is mainly used to print designs on fabrics, ceramics, signs,

bottles and electronics.

 

Each printing process includes three basic steps: preparing an image carrier; transferring the

image, either directly or indirectly onto the substrate to be printed; and finishing. The finishing

steps will differ depending upon the printing process. For example, lithographic printed materials

may be folded, trimmed, collated, laminated, die cut, or embossed, depending on the function of

the final product.

 

But it is very important to mention that the Printing Industry all over the world are experiencing

high level of technical advancement and there is no doubt that all these research and

development works are contributing immensely to the growth of Printing Industry across the

world.

 

Printing Industry Growth

 

Printing Industry Growth is an outcome of different actions and reactions which took place in

past few decades all over the world. In most of the cases, growth of any industry is driven by the

increase in demand. The Printing Industry is no exception. The Growth of Printing Industry has

taken place due to rising demands for printed products. Now if we want to find the reason behind

 

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  this increase in demand we will find several factors. Among these, the main factors are Overall

Economic Growth, Population Growth, Increasing Advertising Expenditures and the Advent of

Internet.

 

Printing Industries of America

 

Printing Industries of America hold a vital position in the economy of U.S.A. Printing Industry

generates large volume of employment in U.S and can be ranked first in terms of economic

output.

 

The U.S Printing Industry comprises of thousands of small Printing Units which employ more

than 1 million people. The industry is able to produce $100 billion in every year.

 

But, the major concern of U.S Printing Industry which is generating negative impact is the

Chemical Waste Problem. This problem of Waste management is posing a question to economic

viability and survival of the printing industry.

 

                                                 Gravure printing machine

 

                                                  Offset printing machine

 

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  Please answer the following questions:

 

1-  Which one of the following items are the products of the Printing Industry?

 

    A.   Magazines, Newspapers.

    B.   Books and business forms.

    C.   Magazines and Postcards.

    D.   A, B and C.

 

2- According to test, what industries depend on Printing Industry?

 

    A.   Packaging and Steel Industries.

    B.   Advertising and Packaging Industries.

    C.   Automobile and Aircraft Industries.

    D.   None of the above.

 

3- The main printing techniques are:

 

    A.   Pre press and press.

    B.   Digital printing, Gravure and binding.

    C.   Lithography, Flexography, Screen printing, Letter press and Gravure.

    D.   A, B and C.

 

4- “The Growth of Printing Industry has taken place due to:

 

    A.   Low cost for running a printing house.

    B.   Population growth.

    C.   Rising demand for printed products.

    D.   Good economic situation.

 

5- What are the factors for increase in demand of print products?

 

    A.   People like to see better products.

    B.   Economic and Population growth.

    C.   Increase in Advertisement cost and Internet advent.

    D.   B and C.

 

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  Vocabulary:

 

Encompass                                                   Growth

 

Field                                                       Supply

 

Binding                                                     Demand

 

Embossing                                                   Advertising

 

Lithography                                                 Population

 

Flexography                                                 Factors

 

Gravure                                                     Chemicals

 

Letterpress                                                 Waste

 

Screen printing                                             Management

 

Print quality                                               Sheet fed

 

Economy                                                     Web (Roll)

 

Surface                                                     Prepress

 

Fabric                                                      Press

 

Packaging                                                   Post press

 

Folding                                                     Finishing

 

Trimming                                                    Die cut

 

Laminate                                                    Water hardness

 

Collate                                                     pH value

 

Advancement                                                 Set-off

 

Development                                                 Alkaline

 

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  Lesson Two:

 

Offset Printing

 

Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or

"offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. When used in combination

with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset

technique employs a flat (planographic) image carrier on which the image to be printed obtains

ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a water-based film (called "fountain

solution"), keeping the non-printing areas ink-free.

 

History

 

Lithography was initially created to be a low cost method of reproducing artwork. This printing

process was limited to use on flat, porous surfaces because the printing plates were produced

from limestone.

 

Compared to other printing methods, offset printing is best suited for cost-effectively producing

large volumes of high quality prints in an economically sound manner that requires little

maintenance.

 

Applications

 

Offset lithography is one of the most common ways of creating printed matter. A few of its

common applications include: newspapers, magazines, brochures, stationery, and books.

 

Many modern offset presses use computer to plate systems as opposed to the older computer to

film workflows, which further increases their quality.

 

Advantages

 

Advantages of offset printing compared to other printing methods include:

 

     •   Consistent high image quality. Offset printing produces sharp and clean images and type

         more easily than letterpress printing .

     •   Quick and easy production of printing plates.

     •   Longer printing plate life than on direct litho presses because there is no direct contact

         between the plate and the printing surface.

     •   Cost. Offset printing is the cheapest method to produce high quality printing in

         commercial printing quantities.

 

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  Disadvantages

 

Disadvantages of offset printing compared to other printing methods include:

 

     •   Slightly inferior image quality compared to rotogravure printing.

     •   Propensity for anodized aluminum printing plates to become sensitive (due to chemical

         oxidation) and print in non-image/background areas when developed plates are not cared

         for properly.

     •   Time and cost associated with producing plates and printing press setup. As a result, very

         small quantity printing jobs are now moving to digital offset machines.

 

                                                  There are three main cylinders in litho

                                                  offset printing:

 

                                                       1- Plate cylinder

                                                      2-  Offset (blanket) cylinder

                                                      3-  Impression cylinder

 

Side view of the offset printing process. Multiple ink rollers are used to distribute the ink.

 

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  Please answer the following questions:

 

1- Offset printing is a technique where:

 

     A.  Sheet fed machines are used.

     B.  Web machines are used.

     C.  Inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket.

     D.  Inked image is transferred directly to the paper.

 

2- In offset printing, image to be printed obtains ink from:

 

     A.  Ink factories.

     B.  Damping rollers.

     C.  Pressure cylinder.

     D.  Ink rollers.

 

3- The early printing plates were made of:

 

     A.  Wood.

     B.  Limestone.

     C.  Aluminum.

     D.  Zink.

 

4- Which of the following is an advantage for Offset printing?

 

     A.  Quick and easy production of printing plates.

     B.  Time and cost associated with producing plates and printing press setup.

     C.  Longer printing plate life than on direct litho presses.

     D.  A and C.

 

5- In an offset printing machine paper moves between:

 

     A.  Ink rollers and plate cylinder.

     B.  Plate cylinder and rubber blanket.

     C.  Offset cylinder (blanket cylinder) and impression cylinder.

     D.  None of the above.

 

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  Vocabulary:

 

Ink rollers                                              Stationary

 

Damping rollers                                          CtP

 

Rubber blanket                                           CtF

 

Planography                                              Workflow

 

Water based film                                         Consistent

 

Area                                                     Humidity

 

Attract                                                  Printing surface

 

Ink free                                                 Substrate

 

Low cost method                                          Commercial Printing

 

Flat                                                     Inferior

 

Limestone                                                Compared to

 

Porous (none porous)                                     Set-off

 

Fountain solution                                        Print area

 

Volume                                                   Background

 

Maintenance                                              Press set up

 

Application                                              Impression cylinder

 

Advantage                                                Plate cylinder

 

Disadvantage                                             Conventional plate

 

Newspaper                                                Hydrophobic

 

Magazine                                                 Hydrophilic

 

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