1. Flexography is a method of printing which combines letter press and
rotogravure techniques. As the name suggests, flexography employs
flexible plates as the relief printing plate in the process of this method of
printing, which differs from letterpress printing methods
The Process
1. The image is mounted and
raised upon a flexible rubber
printing plate
2. Flexible plates are secured on
to printing cylinders
3. Ink is rolled on to the plate
and the printing cylinder
4. A sheet of material is fed
between the impression
cylinder and the printing
cylinder
5. The raised bits of ink transfers
on to the material surface and
the image is created
Note: Thin metal plates are sometimes used to back the flexible plates
for ink alignment and close register

2. Uses
Flexography is mainly used for materials other than paper, although
paper is also used in this process. This printing method is mostly used
for packaging, such as foil, foil laminates and PVC shrink sleeves. Here
are some uses:
 Paperback covers, newspapers, envelopes
 Folding cartons
 Paper sacks
 Plastic bags
 Disposable cups containers
 Labels
 Adhesive tape
 Wrappers
Advantage Disadvantage
 High speed printing  Poor shadows
 Quick and easy make of  Unwanted lines surrounding
orienting plates printed image; Haloing
 Cheap  Impressions per plate limited

3. Gravure, or rotogravure, can be considered the opposite of relief printing.
The image to be printed is made by engraving it on to the printing plate
and the image is recessed, rather than jutting out in relief. Modern
gravure techniques are usually done using web-fed machines.
The Process
1. The image is engraved into a piece of printing plate
2. The plate is mounted onto a printing cylinder
3. Spirit based ink is poured on to the plate
4. The excess ink is removed by a blade from the non-printing areas
5. Paper is fed through the impression cylinder and the printing
cylinder
6. The ink dries immediately after coming out of the machine
7. An image is made
In the olden days, paper was merely pressed upon the recessed cells and
the ink would be absorbed. The ink was wiped off rather than brushed
off with a blade.

4. Uses
 Food packaging
 Wallpaper
 Wrapping paper
 Furniture laminates
 Magazine
 Greeting Cards
Advantages Disadvantages
 Able to print millions of the  Rare form of printing method
same image without  Expensive
worsening of quality  Quite time-consuming as it
 Prints a more superior image involves more meticulous
on a lighter piece of paper procedures

5. The process originally means stone writing. At first, the painting
process originally used flat pieces of printing plates, but it has now
evolved into using three rotating cylinders: the plate cylinder, the blank
cylinder and the impression cylinder. The process uses the law of how
grease and water does not mix, as there are rollers applying water and
ink applied on to the printing cylinders.
The Process
1. Two rollers apply two different liquids onto the plate cylinder; one,
applying ink, the other, applying water
2. The plate cylinder is dampened with water
3. The image area accepts the ink and repels the water applied by the
two rollers while the non-image area repels the ink and accepts the
ink and the image to be printed is defined
4. Image is then transferred on to the blanket cylinder below
5. Paper is fed through the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder
and the image is pressed upon it by the blanket cylinder
6. If different colours are needed, paper may be sent through several
times

6. Uses
 Advertisements
 Posters
 Books
 Catalogues
 Greeting cards
 Packaging
 Coupons
 Art reproductions
Advantages Disadvantage
 Quite clear images  Time consuming to set up and
 Smooth printing, no rough get it running
edges where ink is transferred  Needs constant care or images
 Able to print on wide variety will not appear
of paper surfaces
 Cheapest high quality printing
 Able to print on both sides

7. Screen printing, as the name says, involves printing by use of a screen. It
is extremely useful and diverse as it can be applied on many materials,
shapes, or sizes. Before, the screen used was made from silk, though
now, synthetic fibre
The Process
1. The surface on which the print is to be made upon is placed on top
of the base
2. A template with the image cut out and then placed on top of that
3. A screen is placed on top of this, usually made out of synthetic fibre
stretched tight over a wooden frame
4. Thick ink is poured on top of the screen
5. The ink is pressed hard, through the screen, with a blade
6. The ink seeps through the screen and the template allows the ink
needed only for the image to go upon surface while stopping the
extra background ink from going through
7. The surface with the print is taken out and the process is finished

8. Uses
 Textiles market
 Used to print designs/patterns on cotton, silk, organza
 Shirts, dresses, pants, skirts
 Curtains, cushion covers, bed covers, drapes
 Upholstery
 Flyers, handouts
 Posters
 Sports industry uses it to create collectables items and souvenirs
 Mouse pads
 Key chains
 Caps
Advantages Disadvantages
 Good for customising  Time consuming, as different
garments screen needed for different
 Effective for large designs colour and different template
 Convenient for different for different parts
shapes, thickness and sizes of  Comparatively slow process
surfaces
 Better quality on garments
than other printing methods

9. This way of printing can be used in every day life, other than just
industrial uses. The laser printer works in a similar way.
The Process
1. Master copy is placed face down on to the glass face
2. Light runs along the glass surface, shining on to the master copy
3. Light reflects from the white surface of the cover on to a positively
charged rotation drum and the light makes it loose positivity
4. Toner is attracted on to the remaining positively charged drum
which is where the image is and
the toner forms the image, to be
copied, on to the drum
5. The rotation drum pulls the
paper through and the toner is
then transferred on to the piece
of paper
6. The paper is ejected out and the
image is upon it
Uses
 Making exact copies of documents, drawings or photographs
Advantages Disadvantages
 Easy to use  Machinery can take a lot of
 Can make exact copies space
 Can make many copies many  Limited uses
times