Print Process Descriptions

Printing Industry Overview

Printing Processes

The indexed processes below lead to process flow diagrams, process descriptions, and material balance diagrams for each unit operation. These material balance diagrams contain pointers to techniques that reduce the generation of waste. These techniques are described in some detail including capital and operating costs where available. In turn, the technique descriptions contain pointers to reference sources, case studies, and vendors of equipment and chemicals.

General Overview of the Printing Process

• Prepress
  • Introduction 
  • Typesetting and composition 
  • Copy assembly and process photography
  • Image Carrier Preparation
• Printing processes
  • Lithography
    • Prepress
    • Fountain solution
    • Inks
    • Press types and processes
      • Non-heatset Sheetfed
      • Heatset web
      • Non-heatset web
  • Flexography
    • Prepress
    • Inks
    • Press types and processes
  • Gravure
    • Prepress
    • Inks
    • Press types and processes
    • Gravure - web fed
    • Gravure - sheet fed 
  • Screen printing
    • Inks
    • Press types and processes
    • Screen Reclamation
  • Letterpress
  • Plateless printing processes (e.g., digital printing)
• Post-press and finishing