Топик По Английскому Языку (Петренко Ю. М.) / Gravure printing

Gravure printing.

Gravure printing (intaglio) is a very old printing process, whose beginnings (copperplate engraving) date back to the early fifteenth century. The distinctive feature of gravure printing technology is the fact that the image elements are engraved into the surface of the cylinder.

Today gravure printing accounts for a market share of 10-15% in industrialized nations. Gravure printing is principally used for very long print runs.

Printing units consist of inking unit, gravure cylinder, impression roller and blade.

Prior to printing, the entire printing plate (non-printing and printing elements) is inked and flooded with ink. Ink is removed from the non image (by a wiper or blade) before printing, so that ink remains only in the cells. The ink is transferred from the cells to the printing substrate by a high printing pressure and the adhesive forces between printing substrate and ink.

Three types of processes are used for making gravure printing cylinders:

1)Chemical etching that produces cells of the same size or area with varying depths or cells with varying area and depth.

2)Electromechanical engraving(EME) which produces cylinders with cells that vary in area and depth.

3)Laser engraving which uses a special alloy and laser to produce cells of varying area and depth at speeds of about 70000 cells per second which are from 10 to 15 times higher than EME.

Advantages of gravure printing are:

-high-quality and consistent reproduction of the finest photographic details in even the smallest of images on thin.

-flexible printing material

-large number of multi-ups on one gravure cylinder

-printing on both sides of the web can be carried out easily in the pass.

Disadvantages of gravure printing are:

-very long print runs

-cylinder must be prepared in a costly mechanical and galvanical process.

Productions of gravure printing are: magazines, newspaper, packaging for cigarettes, coffee, cheese and etc…

Even washing detergent boxes, plastic bags, and wrapping paper are often printed on gravure presses.