1. Screen Printing
Formally known as Silk-Screen Printing. This method employs a porous screen such as fine silk, Nylon or Dacron mounted on a frame. A stencil is produced on the screen either photomechanically or manually. The non-printing areas are protected by the stencil. Printing is done on paper, cloth or other substrates under the screen by applying an ink which has a paint-like consistency to the screen. The ink is forced through the fi ne mesh openings with a rubber squeegee. Screen printing is very versatile as it will print on may materials – wood, glass, metal, plastic, fabric, etc. Banners, t-shirts, posters and other materials are good examples of screen printing.
2. Quick Printing (small offset presses)
Used in small quick copy shops and inplant printing departments. These small offset presses can come with either one or two color units. Equipment is low cost and uses either metal, paper or poly type plates. Paper such as Fore DP, Tidal DP, etc. would be used on such a press. Type of jobs would include letterheads, flyers, ads, etc. Equipment would include AM Multigraph, A. B. Dick, ITEK, etc.
3. Reprography
This method of printing is based on the electro-static transfer of toner to and from a charged photoconductor surface. This type of printing method uses selenium, cadmium sulfide or organic photoconductor to produce the images in the copier. These materials hold an electrostatic charge in the dark, and lose the charge when exposed to light. Press such as the AM Electro-press has found a home in direct and forms printing. Printing is slow (300 ft/min) but each paper can be imaged separately. Reprography today includes copiers, computer printers and high speed output duplica-tors such as the Xerox Docutech.