A printing machine is a device used to print ink on paper or other substrates. The machine uses pressure to transfer the ink from a printing plate, which has raised images, onto the substrate. Printing machines are available for a variety of applications and sizes, from small handheld devices to large presses that can handle thousands of sheets at once.
The earliest printing machines were designed to use type on a cylinder to make an impression in the paper. By the 1810s, Frederick Koenig and Andreas Bauer developed a more practical method that obtained an impression by rolling paper attached to a cylinder over the bed of type. This steam powered cylinder press could produce 1,100 pages per hour.
More advanced printing machines can include several cylinders that allow for multi-color printing and increased speed. They also have adjustable feeds and tension for more precise positioning of the material being printed. These large machines are designed for commercial use and can be found in most print shops, including newspapers and magazines.
A thermal printer is a good option for printing on fabrics such as cotton, silk and synthetic fibers. It uses heat to create an image on the fabric, which is then cut off and cooled. It is an inexpensive and reliable option for printing on clothing. A direct-to-fabric printing machine is another option that prints directly onto the fabric without transferring an image to a separate fabric before printing.