PRINTING

Speck Media Inc. has every type of printing technology available.

 

Business Collateral, variable data printing, laminating, signs of all sizes, specialty wide format printing and more are at your fingertips. Speck Media Inc. will ensure that your printed product will be exactly as you imagined it.

 

Main Types of Printing

Offset Lithography is the most common and famous method available today where most printers use offset lithography to make a print. This is because this method helps in saving ink and in the process, limits set up time. With this, you will be able to use a more effective and affordable print for your job. Here printers usually offset the ink from metal plates to a rubber cylinder, which is then transferred to the paper stock.

 

Digital Printing is a very popular method as it is effective in reducing the time to complete a print. Moreover, there is no need of using any films or plates here; the digital file is transferred to the printing press, with the help of a computer. As this is a fast process, customers use it to help meet their deadlines and schedules.

 

Electrostatic Printing is similar to photocopying where the color is attached to a drum and then let to blend with paper on the application of heat on it. It can also be compared to digital printing as it is cost effective in providing short print runs.

 

Thermography is a method where images are raised, like you see in most stationery. In this method, printers first have to use a special powder or some dust that can easily stick to wet ink. This done, heat is applied to help with the blending of the ink and powder, with which you get the raised image you were looking for.

 

Other Types of Printing

• Flexography used for packaging, labels, newspapers
• Dye-sublimation printer
• Inkjet used typically to print a small number of books or packaging and also, to print a variety of materials from high quality papers simulating offset printing, to floor tiles; Inkjet is also used to apply mailing addresses to direct mail pieces.

• Laser printing (Toner Printing) mainly used in offices and for transactional printing (bills, bank documents). Laser printing is commonly used by direct mail companies to create variable data letters or coupons.

• Pad printing popular for its unusual ability to print on complex three-dimensional surfaces
• Relief print, (mainly used for catalogues)
• Screen-printing for T-shirts to floor tiles or on uneven surfaces
• Intaglio - Used mainly for high value documents such as Currencies.  Gravure printing is an intaglio printing technique, where the image being printed is made up of small depressions in the surface of the printing plate. The cells are filled with ink, and the excess is scraped off the surface with a doctor blade. Then a rubber-covered roller presses paper onto the surface of the plate and into contact with the ink in the cells. The printing cylinders are usually made from copper plated steel, which is subsequently chromed, and may be produced by diamond engraving; etching, or laser ablation.
• Thermal printing - Popular in the 1990s for Fax printing. Used today for airline baggage tags and in Supermarket deli counters.