Litho Printers For The Qualitative Printing Litho printing is also referred to in the industry as offset printing and is considered by the general populace to be the definitive and most traditional approach to high-capacity printing. Digital methods are indeed catching up in trying to achieve the outstanding quality printouts which Litho printers are capable of creating. Thus far, no digital printer has replicated the capacity together with the high quality that Litho printers are renowned for. Digital printing in itself tends to be a less expensive option and it regularly utilized by those who require a smaller amount of copies. The operational methods utilized by litho printers are indeed very unique and the final result stems from a complex process. The initial step within this process is the preparation of the plate. It is first coated in a light-sensitive emulsion.
There are principally a number of ways in which litho printers transfer the image to be printed on to the plate. In the first instance, film is placed on the top of the plate itself and it is then exposed to light. The second technique usually implements the use of a machine which utilizes lasers to expose the plate. In both circumstances a detailed negative of the image which is to be printed is formed. Subsequently the emulsion which was applied early on in the process is released and the positive image is imprinted. It is then treated with other chemicals to remove the unexposed areas. The litho printer itself has the plate cylinder, a blanket roller and impression cylinder. The plate is actually wound around the plate cylinder itself. There is an inking and dampening roller present within the machinery that continuously ink and dampen the plate. Litho printers work on the basic rule that oil and water do not mix. This develops a flat operational surface, in which the flush surface area is treated with oil and water. The oil-based ink area lures in the image and the damp area resists the oil-based inks. As soon as the plate is hardpressed against the print surface, the oil area simply leaves an imprint of the artwork, allowing for the blank areas which require no printing at all to be ink free. When you approach a litho printers or web printing service in Johannesburg the actual process of planning and printing may seem quite expensive at first. However if you associate the cost and spread of cost with the amount of copies you want to get printed, the price seems more reasonable and acceptable. Such methods provide the highest quality prints time and time again and is a preferred method for those who require quality and quantity.