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Offset Printing

History

The first rotary offset lithographic printing press was created in England and patented in 1875 by Robert Barclay. The first person to use an offset press to print on paper was most likely American Ira Washington Rubel in 1903. Roughly at the same time, a German engineer by the name of Christopher Hermann invented a similar machine.

Offset printing became the most popular form of commercial printing as improvements were made in plates, inks and paper, maximizing the technique's superior production speed and plate durability. Today, the majority of printing, including newspapers, is done by the offset process, although digital printing has greatly increased in popularity due to demand and cost advantages for low quantity runs.

Offset Printing Technology and Advantages

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The process

Offset printing is a widely 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 film of water, keeping the non-printing areas ink-free.

Harris designed his offset press around a rotary letterpress machine. It used a metal plate bent around a cylinder at the top of the machine that pressed against ink and water rollers. A blanket cylinder was positioned directly below, and in contact with, the plate cylinder. The impression cylinder below pressed the paper to the blanket in order to transfer the image to the sheet (see diagram). While this basic process is still used today, refinements include two-sided printing and web feeding (using rolls of paper rather than sheets).

Offset printing advantages

Advantages of offset printing compared to other printing methods include:

Consistent high image quality. Offset printing produces sharper and cleaner images and type than letterpress printing because the rubber blanket conforms to the texture of the printing surface.

Usability on a wide range of printing surfaces (including wood, cloth, metal, leather, rough paper, plastic, PET, PET-G) in addition to smooth paper.

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.

A "right" reading (not reversed) printing plate that is easy to proof read prior to printing.

See also UV printing

Are you planning on printing three or four colors on 85.60mm × 53.98mm (ISO Card) or other size Cards? To help you plan your card layout, we have useful print guidelines that show non-print areas of for these cards. Contact us today for a sample and more information.

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