Offset Printing is one of the most common ways to print publications today. Offset printing begins with the art work. A graphics designer will put in place the desired art and editorials accordingly. The artist generates these images from a computer. The images then must be "paged" this means the art must be placed on pages that will run in a specific desired sequence. Once the art has been paged the art is sent to another computer which will electronically place the image onto a "plating template" this template will put the art onto its template. The computer then sends the image to a plating machine that consists of lazers. These lazers will heat up an aluminam plate at specific locations to create the image from the computer. The plate then comes out of the machine. Once the plate comes out, there are holes in the plate that must be punched out. These holes aline the plate onto the press. Once the holes are punched the plate is bent. The bends allow the plate to slide in slots on the cylinder of the press.
The press itself has a roller train. These trains consist of a number of rollers. The first rolle is called an inking roller or ink ball. This inking roller collects the raw ink as it spins. This roller is pushed up against another roller called a transfer roller. Different presses can have multiple transfer rollers. The transfer rollers often are pushed up against a solid ebonite or coper roller called an oscilater. The oscilator is pushed against another transfer roller. THe transfer roller then is pushed up against two or more rubber rollers called form rollers. The form roller is pushed up against a stainless steel cylinder in which the plate is wrapped around. The ink will be transfered from the rubber form rollers to the plate cylinder. The plate cylder is pushed up against a blanket roller. The blanket roller has a rubber blanket wrapped around a steel cylinder. This rubber blanket transfers the image from the plate onto the blanket then is pushed against the paper to transfer the image to the paper. The plate roller has other form rollers called water rollers or dampening rollers. These rollers collect water from a water pan or dampening system. These rollers clean the excess ink from the plate cylinder.
Once the image is pushed onto the paper, the paper then runs through multiple color units. Its then pulled through the press onto a folder that will perform multiple tasks. This folder can fold the product in half, in quarters, even lap of unlap the product. The folder folds the product, then cuts the product and sends it to a conveyer for final touches.
