When it comes to choosing a printing press, there a many options available. If you’re looking for offset printing presses and are not sure what you need or what it is you’re looking for, please feel free to contact us. We have over 35 years of experience in the business and are happy to help you find the perfect machinery for your company!

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WHAT IS OFFSET PRINTING?

Offset printing, also known as offset lithography, is the most commonly used printing method around the world since the 20th century. It operates on the principle that ink and water do not mix, allowing for the creation of high-quality prints with precise color accuracy and sharp details. The offset printing process involves transferring ink from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface, making it possible to print on a variety of materials such as paper, cardboard, and plastic. The name “offset” comes from the fact that the image is first transferred to another surface before it is printed on the final paper. This process is highly efficient, cost-effective, and reliable, making it the preferred choice for many commercial printing applications.

HOW IS OFFSET PRINTING DONE?

The information of the image (the artwork and text) is put on thin metal plates, which are water dampened. The ink goes onto the rollers on the press. The oil-based ink adheres to the image area, where the water adheres to the non-image area. The inked area is transferred to a rubber cylinder, called a “blanket”, where the inked area then goes onto the printing surface as the paper passes.

Modern offset printing is done on a press with basically three rotating cylinders: a plate cylinder, to which the metal plate is fastened, a blanket cylinder covered by a rubber sheet and an impression cylinder that presses the paper into contact with the blanket cylinder. The plate cylinder encounters a series of moistening rollers. A series of inking rollers then pass over the plate and the ink is accepted by the image and at the same time rejected by the water-holding areas. The inked image is transferred to the rubber blanket and is than offset to the paper which is travelling around the impression cylinder.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF COLOURS IN OFFSET PRINTING?

Offset printing involves the use of separate printing plates, as explained above. These plates must be set for each colour of ink, which therefore makes the plates suitable for commercial quantities.  The process of printing uses the main ink colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink, also known as CMYK. This is how a 4-colour offset printing press works.

When we for example take a 6-colour offset printing press, you’ll see that the 6-colour printing press takes the four colours of CMYK plus adds orange and green ink into production. With the wider colour pallet, the offset printing machine can produce images with even more vibrant colours than with a 4-colour press.

An 8-colour offset printing press takes the six colours (cyan, magenta, yellow, black, orange and green) plus a diluted yellow and a diluted black. The 8 colours offset printing press can therefore create a more realistic photo as well as less grainy images with smoother gradients.

Furthermore the 10 colour and 12 colour offset printing presses help further enhance the printing quality. Or by using a perfecting system, the offset machine can print on both sides of the paper in one pass, from 1/1 to 7/7 colours.

THE 7 ADVANTAGES OF OFFSET PRINTING

Offset printing has several advantages:

  • Offset printing produces rich and accurate colours, with high-quality images, sharp typefaces and fine details in consistent quality. Once set, the offset printing press keeps producing shard and clean images.
  • Custom inks are possible, such as metallic or fluorescent.
  • Longer printing plate life compared to direct litho presses, as there is no direct contact between the plate and printing surface.
  • The more you print with offset printing, the less you pay per print. Offset printing is generally the cheapest method for producing high quality prints in commercial quantities.
  • The ability to adjust the amount of ink on the roller. By doing so, one can modify the density of the colour in an area of the image.
  • Large variety of types of paper can be used with custom finishes.
  • Durable and powerful machinery.

The brands we offer at Mekes are known for their top printing quality and are designed to operate for many years.

FIND YOUR PERFECT OFFSET PRINTING PRESS WITH MEKES GRAPHIC MACHINERY

If you’re in the market for an offset printing press but aren’t sure which one would best suit your needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Mekes Graphic Machinery. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we’re confident that we can help you find the perfect machinery for your company.

We are specialized in pre-owned printing equipment and work with top manufacturers such as Heidelberg, Manroland, Mitsubishi, KBA, Komori and Sakurai. Our machines are designed to operate and print for years to come, providing you with the most value for your investment.

So, if you need assistance or advice, please feel free to contact us.