Basics of offset printing & other

printing methods

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 Products

Offset
Sheet- Heatset Coldset
Gravure Flexo Digi
fed

Magazines,
catalogues X X X

Brochures, annual
reports etc. X X

Direct marketing
X X X X X

Books
X X X

Newspapers
X X

Packages, wrappers
X X X
2
 Why ?

A better understanding of the first end

use of our products (to be printed) will
allow you to better advise your
customers and thus give added value to
your sales

3
 Summary

Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 High Placement of printing methods

Ink-jet

Sheet-fed offset
Heatset offset Gravure
Quality

Medium

Electro photo-
graphy
Low

100 1 000 10 000 100 000 1 000 000 10 000 000

Run length

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 What is colour ?

Colour
Without light, no object has a colour

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 What do we need to see colours ?
A light source (Sunlight, Light Bulb, Candle)

A receiver and processor

(eye + brain)

An object to interact with the light source

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 Human eye

• light enters the eye through the lens and is focused on the retina
There, an array of photoreceptor cells respond to light and pass the
signals on to the brain which translates into colour sensation
There are 2 types of cells :

-> rods = black & white -> cones = colours

3 different types of cone cells sensitive to the

wavelength of
=> red light
=> green light
=> blue light

Cells light stimulates the eye three

dimensionally!!

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 Spectrum of electromagnetic radiation waves

Gamma X-ray UV IR Radio Radar

Wavelength 0,001 0,01 0,1 1,0 10 100 10³ 10 4 10 5 10 6 1010 1011 10 12 10 13 nm

Spectrum of the visible light

photon

violet blue green yellow orange red

nm
400 500 600 700

different wavelengths = different colours

400 - 500 nm = blue 500 - 600 nm = green 600 - 700 nm = red

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 How to create colours ? : 2 methods

Additive Subtractive

Yellow

Cyan Magenta

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 How to create colours : additive method

Additive Lights : Red + Blue + Green = White

For example a Television or a Computer Monitor

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 How to create colours?

Based on this (Green + Blue = CYAN, Green + Red = YELLOW, Blue + Red = MAGENTA),
we can reproduce every colour based on 3 selected colorants

Each colorant will have to act on a primary colour of the spectrum (Red, Green or Blue)

For example to act on Red, we need a colorant which absorbs only Red and not Green and
not Blue. This is the CYAN

Ink which
absorbs red light
reflects blue light blue + green = cyan ink
reflects green light

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 How to create colours : subtractive method

Selective absorption of certain wavelength by the ink layer.

Magenta ink Cyan ink Yellow ink
reflects red absorbs red reflects red
reflects blue reflects blue absorbs blue
absorbs green reflects green reflects green

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 Primary colours in printing

Mixing the 3 primary colours theoretically results in black.

=> In practice the result is brown!

=> To remedy this, blacK is used as the fourth primary colour.

CMY blacK CMYK

CMY Black CMYK

+ =

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Principle of offset printing
On a printing plate there are two areas:

• Areas accepting ink and being repellent to water

= Image areas (= hydrophobic)

• Areas accepting water

= Non-Image areas (= hydrophilic).
The areas are occupied by water.

Due to the different surface tension water and ink do not mix.

The behaviour of the image and non-image areas

is caused by a complex chemistry.

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 How do we get printed and unprinted areas?

Ink = hydrophobic Water = hydrophilic

IMAGE NON-IMAGE

Function of the offset plate

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 How do we get printed and unprinted areas?

Image

Non-Image

Magnified (15x) of an offset plate

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 How do we get printed and unprinted areas?

Non-
Image

Image

Magnified (1000X) picture of an offset plate

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 How do we get printed and unprinted areas?

Substrate

= direct transfer

IMAGE NON-IMAGE

Function of the offset plate

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 How do we get printed and unprinted areas?

Rubber Rubber

1st transfer 2nd transfer

Substrate

IMAGE IMAGE NON-IMAGE

NON- IMAGE

Function of Rubber blanket = indirect transfer

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 Offset printing unit

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 The printing plate

Light sensitive coating

Aluminium oxide coating

Grained aluminium base

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 The printing plate

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 Basic composition of offset ink
Pigments ~10-20 %
organic and inorganic

Binders ~30-50 %
Hard resins
Alkyds
Vegetable oils

Solvents ~20-30 %
Mineral oils
Vegetable oils

Additives ~0-5 %
waxes, rheology modifiers, antioxidants, fillers...

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 Offset blankets

Oil-resistant synthetic
elastomers attached to
textile fabrics

Reproduction properties

Release properties

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 The fountain solution
Surface tension of liquid has to be lower than surface energy of solid to
ensure quick spreading

•Water 85-98 %
•IPA (Isopropanol) 0-20 %
•Additives 2-4 %
weak organic acid(s), buffers, film formers, surfactants, chelating (sequestering) agents,
biocides, anti-foams, humectants, glycols, corrosion inhibitors

pure water,
72 mN/m water + 6% IPA,
45 mN/m

surface energy of non-image area, 50 mJ/m 2

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 Screening

One half-tone image may

contain thousands of
different shades………

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 Different screening

Conventional screening Stochastic screening

 distance between the centers of  tone is formed by altering dot position

the dots is constant and spacing, number of dots

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 Stochastic screen

Standard dot size, Dot size and

but the amount of amount of dots
them vary. vary.

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 Screen ruling – conventional screening

Light tones ~ small dots The dots are so small that the human eye
Dark tones ~ bigger dots sees them as a single colour.

Tonal value 75%

Tonal value 25%
40l/cm
Tonal value 50%

60l/cm

80l/cm
Tonal value 100%
Screening ruling (L/cm or L/inch)

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 Human eye

In case of the 4-colour printing the colours are mixed in the eye when
looking at them, as the eye cannot differ between the small, close
picture elements.

Normal screen surface Strongly magnified screen surface

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 Print density
 Print density (darkness) is created by increasing the inked area
(halftone percentage)

Black 20% Black 40% Black 60% Black 80%

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 Print colour
 Print colour (tone) is created by mixing halftone percentages of
process colours

C80%/M20% C60%/M40% C40%/M60% C20%/M80%

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 Examples of screening methods

Staccato 25µm Conventional 60 l/cm

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Sheet fed offset press

Margin -
Ink rollers & Damping rolls Feeder

Anti set-off
powder
system

Delivery of
the printed
sheets Settings of
pressure
and register
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 After the 4 printing units

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 Sheet fed presses
5 colour units + 1 varnish unit

Delivery Varnish Ink units Feeder

 4/4 colour units, change of the printing side of the sheet in the perfecting system

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 Different formats

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 Feeder

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 Ink Rollers

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 Sheet Transfer

Transfer cylinder

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 Spray powder
to avoid ink set-off
distance holder between the sheets.
increases the amount of oxygen to improve the oxidative drying process.
Spray
10 to 80 microns
calcium carbonate
organic, vegetable based powder of natural starch

300x - CaCo3

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 Varnish
Why ?

More gloss
Protect
Less drying time before converting
Sometimes two varnish units
High gloss and matt varnish at the same run
Premier and UV- varnish when using conventional inks
Better gloss than one unit applying

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Basic design of heatset press
Web widths: ~50- (over) 200 cm
Web speed: ~4-15 m/s
Web tension: ~600-800 N/m
Drying (web temp): ~110-140 °C
Folding: usually on-line
siliconization unit

reelstand dryer
printing units
infeed chill rolls

folder

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 Heatset presses - different designs

additional colour varnishing unit (offset varnish)

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 Operating press
Driving the press

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 Infeed

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 Heatset press – an example

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 Paper web in one unit

Plate cylinder

Blanket cylinder

Paper web
Blanket cylinder

Plate cylinder

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 Oven

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 Oven

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 Heatset dryer
Web delay in the dryer is ~1 s
dryer length is determined by the press speed (10 m/s  10 m)
Dryer has multiple modules
Hot air from the nozzles carries the web through the dryer
Exhaust air is either circulated back or is let to atmosphere through treatment
(e.g. afterburner)

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 Temperature profiles in the dryer
Web exit temp. usually 100-140 C (90-180)

Usually declining temperature profile

web temperature rises faster and solvent evaporation starts earlier
°C

300
255°C

195°C
200

165°C

130°C
100
drying air temp

web temp

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

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 Chill rolls
Thermoplastic ink binder is in soft form after the dryer
chill rolls cools down the web and solidifies the binder (better rub resistance)
Steel cylinders (3 - 6) with cold water pumped through
Web tension has to be high enough to ensure good contact

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 Silicone application

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 Center Cut

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 Aligning ribbons

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 Different kind of folders

Cylinder/Jaw folder

Former fold

62 Chopper folder
 Example of fold 16 pages

Former
fold

Jaw fold
880 mm Chopper/
jaw fold

630 mm

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 Folding possibilities

310 x 440 mm

310 x 220 mm

155 x 110 mm

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 Imposition and plate making
Imposition
Done usually at the printer
Depends on what press is used
16/32/48/64 pages
Special software used

Plate making
From imposition layout

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 Press layouts

72/80-page

48/64-page
Pagination

32-page
Double perimeter

Single perimeter
24-page

16-page

8-page

66 Run length
 Manual delivery

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 Post-press

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 Perfect binding
Operations
 signatures are collated together in conveyor belt
 signatures travels down the belt to the saw
 saw trims off of the bind edge of so the binding
glue can be applied between the individual
pages
 magazine travels to the covering station
 magazine is trimmed with 3-knife cutting

Separate cover is needed

Long grain
=MD

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 Saddle stitcher
Operations
 signatures are pulled open and dropped in proper order onto a moving "saddle".
 assembled signatures receive a cover in the same manner and then pass under
the stitching heads where wire staples are applied
 magazine is trimmed with 3-knife cutting

Usually used only product with pagination

under 96 pages

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Gravure

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 Gravure

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 Gravure - applications

Packaging & converting

Flexible packaging
Labels & wrappers
Gift wraps
Wall coverings
Vinyl
Decorative laminates
Floor coverings
Tissue products
Stamps

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Flexography

paper
plate

Double face tape

Counter pressure cylinder

ink

sleeve
blade

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 Applications

• Paper sacks
• Milk carton
• Pocket Books
• Plastic bags
• Labels
• Aluminium
• Corrugated Board
• Carton cups
• Napkins
• Tissue
• Envelope
• Bussinessforms
• News Papers
• Flexible packaging
• Pocket Books

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Silk screen

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

80
 What is digital printing ?

DIGITAL printing means printing directly from digital data

original is in digital form
no films are needed
no plates are needed

Slide
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 Pro or Contra digital printing ?
Pro
easily changeable info
design and colours
text
no make-ready
-> small runs with reasonable costs
personalisation
versioning
on-demand printing
decentralised printing
easy to operate vs. offset
”unlimited” repeat length

Contra
 Print quality still lower than in offset
 Low printing speed compared to conventional presses
 Format limitations (small reels/sheets)
 Limited or non-existing spot colours and metallic
 Conventional further converting
 Costs (toners etc)

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 Applications

Production variable data

 direct marketing
 individualized statements
 customized catalogues,
brochures etc

Commercial printing
 on-demand and short run
books
 short run brochures

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

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 Electro photographic principle

1. Photoconductor is charged
2. Latent image is
formed by discharging - -
- - -- - -
- - -
the drum by laser or --
--
-

LED +
++ 6. Remaining toner
--
-

+
-
-+
is wiped off
--
-

3. Latent image is
developed by toner 5. Toner is fixed
to the paper by
heat = fusing
+ ++
+

4. Toner (image) is transferred to the

paper in electric field, opposite charge
attracts

85
 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

86
 Ink jet : continuous
1. Continuous stream, CS, CIJ
printing droplets are selected from the continuous stream by charging them selectively
droplets have similar size
high speed
e.g. Scitex VersaMark

87
 Ink jet : drop on demand
2. Drop-on-demand, DOD
every drop is printing
high resolution
lower speed
e.g. Aprion

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 Summary
Offset printing
What is colour ?
Principle of offset printing
Sheet-fed offset printing
Heat-set web offset printing

Other printing methods

Conventional methods
Gravure
Flexography
Silk screen
Digital printing methods
Laser (electro photography)
Ink jet

Conclusion

89
 Print definition depends on paper quality

LWC, Newsprint,
60l/cm 48l/cm

Coated Fine, SC,

70l/cm 54l/cm

90
 Different printing process, different results

Offset Flexography Gravure

(20%, 75 l/cm) (20%, 60 l/cm) (~20%, 100 l/cm)
• Dots are uniformly • Ink is pressed to • Broken shape of dots and
covered with ink edges, print density missing dots are typical for
• Edges are ragged inside dot varies light tones
(uncoated papers) • Edges are smooth • Doughnut shaped dots
• Uniform text • Shadow in the edge • Text is screened, serrated
of text edge

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 Examples of halftone dots and text

Inkjet
(20%)
• Dots are quite uniformly
covered with ink
• Dot is formed by using several
droplets
• Edges are ragged or even
depending on paper
• Satellites, escaped droplets
Electrophotography
(~20%)
• Dots are quite uniformly
covered with toner
• Edges are ragged
• Separate toner particles
(dry toner methods)
• Uniform text

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 ?
Will be happy to answer your technical questions :
Questions ?

Françoise Accou, +32 492.582.287, francoise.accou@sappi.com

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