A printing machine is used to print documents and marketing materials. It is a large industrial machinery that prints multiple copies at once to save time and money, while ensuring quality results. There are different types of printing machines, and the one that is right for your business depends on the size and type of project you need to print. Digital and commercial printing are the most common methods of producing printed materials, but each method offers advantages.
There are many factors to consider when selecting a printing machine, such as its speed, memory capacity, and image quality. A printer’s speed is usually indicated on its specs sheet in terms of “ppm” (print-per-minute). The faster the machine, the more quickly it can produce prints.
Historically, the print industry was founded on movable type technology, where small metal pieces with raised backwards letters, known as type, were arranged by a compositor into lines of text and then coated with ink. The type would then be rolled onto paper, creating an impression of the words or images in relief on the surface of the paper.
This process, called letterpress, is still used in some newspaper printing operations. Modern presses are more automated and can be controlled from a central console. They are either sheet-fed or web presses, which use large rolls of paper to print long runs at high speeds. Ink is pumped through flexible photopolymer plates that are wrapped around the cylinders of the press, and as the cylinders rotate, they ink the paper to produce the printed image. This is the most versatile printing process, as it can be used on a variety of media, including plastic and metallic film.