Offset Lithography

Question 1

Advantages of offset lithography?

Answer 1

Consistently high image quality
Suited to higher volume print runs of 1000 or more
Quick and easy production of printing plates
Long life of printing plates because they only come in contact with the printing blanket, which is softer and less abrasive than the substrate

Question 2

Disadvantages of offset lithography?

Answer 2

Expensive setup and running cost for small quantities
Only suitable for porous substrate materials

Question 3

Step by step of offset lithography?

Answer 3

Printing substrate is either sheet-fed or web roll fed into the printing machinery
Printing plates are produced by a computer to plate process via a laser which etches the image onto the plate .
The plates are then attached to the machine and dampened by the damping roller
The ink is the applied to the printing plate.
The plate cylinder rotates onto a blanket roller which becomes coated with ink. And the substrate is fed through, the image on the blanket is transferred to the substrate to produce the printed product