Understanding The Different Types Of Printing Techniques
Printing is a method for mass printing of both text and pictures with a printing press. Printing inks are used to transfer colors electronically onto paper, which can then be reproduced through various printing processes. In the past, printing was done primarily on paper using the printing press. The first non-paper based products featuring printing technology include objects like the Cyrus Cylinder, the Cylinders of Nabonidsus and the cylinder seals from ancient Egyptian civilization.
Surface printing, also known as raised areas printing, is a popular printing technology that uses inkjet or laser-based technologies. This type of printing utilizes flat surface material that is coated with ink. Various types of text or image can be printed on these flat surface areas. Images may be printed with high resolution images or black and white images. They can also be printed on raised areas of a metal plate. Metal plates, often called plate rolls, are flexible and can be used in a variety of applications, including flat surface printing.
Another type of printing technology is gravure printing, which involves creating a gravure image carrier from a solid block of resin. The printout created from this carrier can have a wide range of applications in a wide variety of industries. Some printing companies use this method for printing gravure signs on the highway median lines. This technology allows printing on raised flat surface areas such as gravestone images and logos.
Digital printing, also known as digital printing, involves creating digital images onto flat surface areas, usually plates. These digital images can be printed digitally using inkjet and laser technologies respectively. This printing technology is popular for producing photographic images onto flat surfaces. Some companies use this process to create business cards and corporate stationery.
The final type of printing service used in the printing industry is prepress operations. This process is most commonly used for printing large volumes of materials, such as books. This process involves the transfer of an image onto a solid foundation, called a plate, from a computer or other printing media. Most prepress operations also use chemicals used in conventional printing processes, such as toner and ink.
Digital printing methods vary in cost, depending on the complexity of the image to be produced and the amount of materials being used in the printing process. Costs are also affected by the different types of equipment that are used in the process. In general, the higher the volume of materials that will be printed, the more expensive the process becomes. The time it takes to complete the process is also dependent on the different types of equipment that are used. The less complicated the image to be produced, the faster the printing process will be.