Print Process Descriptions: Printing Industry Overview: Gravure

Intaglio plate printing is used to produce stamps, currency, bank notes, securities, and stationary items such as invitations and business cards. It is also used for fine arts printing. Most intaglio plate presses use gravure printing cylinders. However, a flat gravure plate is used for fine arts printing. Intaglio plate printing presses differ from other gravure presses primarily in the inking system which is designed to handle thick paste-like ink (GAA 1991).

Another type of offset gravure press, the flexo-gravure press, is currently used for printing clear film overwraps for paper towels and tissues as well as high quality plastic shopping bags. A flexo-gravure press is a flexographic press on which the anilox roller has been replaced by a gravure printing cylinder (GAA 1991).