Printing Techniques

Department of History of Arts & Social Sciences

BFA (Hons.) 2019-23

Offset Printing
Submitted by
Abdul Mannan Khan
[BSF1900039]

Instructor
Mr. Ali Zain

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, LAHORE

Offset Printing BSF1900039

offset printing, also called offset lithography, or litho-offset, in commercial printing, widely

used printing technique in which the inked image on a printing plate is printed on a rubber

cylinder and then transferred (i.e., offset) to paper or other material.

What is Offset Printing?

 Offset printing or offset lithography is a printing press technique that transfers the ink

from a plate to a rubber roller (or blanket) and then to various substrates to produce

high quality images and designs.

 It is typically used for mass production, such as printing large quantities of

newspapers, brochures, stationeries, magazines, and of course, boxes.

 It is one of the most widely used printing options for its high-quality output and

consistent results.

Types of Offset Printing

Web-Fed Offset Printing

 In this process, rolls of paper are fed continuously through the press and can produce

over 5,000 printed materials.

 The paper is cut afterward (this is also part of the press) to create identical sheets.

 Web-fed offset printing presses can produce over 3,000 papers per minute, which

translates to about 80,000 identical sheets per hour.

 This option is ideal for organizations that need to produce large quantities at a fast

pace to meet tight deadlines.

Sheet-Fed Offset Printing

 Unlike Web-fed, sheet-fed offset lithography produces smaller quantities as sheets of

paper are fed individually.

 It is still considered a quick printing option compared to other printing operations

available.
Offset Printing BSF1900039

 Sheet-fed printing can print up to 12,000 sheets to 24,000 per hour.

 Over the years of modernization, sheet-fed has also improved in speed, which allowed

it to perform similar functions as the web-fed press.

The Offset Printing Process

The Pre-Press Process
 The preparation for the artwork before going through the press is a vital step to

produce the exact printing output.

 One of the common mistakes designers make during their artwork preparation is not

converting their work from RBG to CMYK.

Offset Printing Process

 First the image/text/graphics are layered in rapid successions on a ‘plate’ – this is

usually a sheet of metal (although paper/polyester may also be used).

 The plate is then transferred to a rubber roller/cylinder, which is then used for the

main event, offset printing. There will be two plates involved in the process if both

sides of the paper need to be printed on.

 The roller then feeds the paper into the press. The cylinder (this is also made of

rubber) containing the ink for the artwork design stamps or ‘prints’ onto the paper to

create high quality color output.

The Benefits of Offset Printing

 High quality and true color: Since Offset use ink instead of toner (digital printing),

the result of the print is a lot richer and clearer

 Low cost: Medium to large quantity printing is best used with offset printing. The

more quantities that are produced, the cheaper the per unit cost becomes.

 Fast and efficient: Web-fed can produce over 80,000 copies of printed materials

while producing them in high quality

Offset Printing BSF1900039

 Flexible and dynamic: Offset printing works on a wide range of materials including

paper, cardboard, wood, leather, and plastic while providing solutions to special

finishes and other design requests.