What Are The Three Main Types Of Printing Processes?

Printing processes is divided into three traditional printing methods: letterpress, lithography and gravure. In addition, there are other important subtypes, such as screen printing. Here's a look at the three main types:
Letterpress Printing
How it works: Images and text on a printing plate are raised above the blank area to form a raised plate. During printing, ink is attached to the raised image and text, and pressure transfers the ink to the substrate.
Features:
Rich Ink Color: Because ink is attached directly to raised images and text, the printed product has rich, vivid colors.
High Printing Pressure: high pressure is required to transfer the ink from the plate to the substrate, resulting in visible indentations on the printing product.
4.2. Low printing cost: The letterpress printing process is relatively simple, low cost, suitable for short-run printing.
Application:
Traditional Applications: the lithography press is widely used in the printing and packaging of newspapers, books and periodicals.
Modern applications: With the development of other printing technologies, letterpress printing has become less popular in traditional printing, but it still provides advantages for special printing needs, such as self-adhesive labels and forgery-proof printing. Lithographic Printing (Offset)
How it works: Create different physical states for images and blanks utilizing the "oil and water don't mix" principle. Images and words on a printing plate are oily, while blanks are hydrophilic. In printing process, water is first poured on the plate to form a water film in the billet. Then apply the ink to make sure it is only attached to the image and text. Finally, use pressure to transfer the ink to the substrate.
Features:
High print quality: produces detailed, clear images and text with excellent color reproduction and rich gradations.
Fast printing: suitable for large scale and efficient printing.
Mature Platemaking Process: plate making costs are relatively low, plate making quality is stable.
Application:
Widely used: is one of the most widely used printing process, widely used in the printing of books, magazines, newspapers, posters, leaflets, packaging and other products.
High-end printing: also plays an important role in high-end brochures and art prints.
Gravure Printing
How it works: Images and text on a printing plate are below the margin of the page, creating a gravure. During printing, ink is filled into the indentations of the image. A scraper removes the ink from the blank area, leaving only the image. The ink is then transferred to the substrate by pressure.
Features:
Thick Ink Layer: Because the ink is filled in the concave part image, the printing product has a thicker ink layer, brighter colors and a higher saturation.
Fast printing speed: the gravure plate printing speed, can withstand a large number of printing speed.
High set-making cost: The gravure printing process is complex, requiring high precision equipment and processes, resulting in high platemaking costs.
Application:
Packaging Printing: widely used in plastic film, metal foil, paper and other materials packaging printing, such as food packaging, drug packaging, tobacco packaging.
Counterfeit printing: Because gravure printing has excellent security, it can also be used to print banknotes, stamps, securities, etc.