Letterpress Printing

Letterpress is the oldest form of printing; it is the method we have is mind when we speak of the invention of printing by Johannes Gutenberg more than 500 years ago. Printing and letterpress were synonymous until a relatively short time ago because letterpress was, and still is, the only reproduction method capable of using metallic types in the press. Metallic types on their part were historically the exclusive means for printing of reading matter. This condition remained unchanged for more than 200 years. It was first modified in the eighteenth century by the invention of stereotyping. Stereotypes made it possible to replace individual types for presswork with cast metal plates made from the original composition. The invention of electrotyping, made in the nineteenth century, added a second kind of duplicate plates and made it possible to free letterpress further from the limitations imposed on press construction and presswork by composition consisting of metallic types. But in spite of duplicate plates and composing machines, which were developed in the last third of the nineteenth century, metallic type remained the only means for converting reading matter into standardized letter forms. The next big step ahead was made after World War II when non – metallic composition became possible.

The exclusive ability of letterpress to print directly from metallic types distinguished letterpress for hundreds of years from other printing methods. Even at present this ability can make letterpress a most economical printing method for jobs consisting mainly of reading matter, particularly when it is possible to print the whole job directly from type.

Letterpress is especially well represented in job – and commercial printing. This is the name for printing as a service business. At this point it must be mentioned that many printed products can be produced by several printing methods. The zone of interchangeability of printing processes and methods is growing: consequently, we may find the same product listed as examples for the use of more than a single printing process or method.

Letterpress is the traditional method for the printing of books: it serves for the production of most magazines, many in relatively small editions, but some of an enormous circulation. Other products produced by letterpress include advertising materials; envelopes and calling cards, catalogs of various kinds; labels, business forms; tickets and many other items. As mentioned before, most of these products are not necessarily printed in letterpress but can also be produced by other printing methods.

One of the reasons for the great popularity of the letterpress method lies in its ability to produce printing in almost any required quantity with economy and dispatch.

Упражнение 9. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту 2В

1. Who invented printing?

2. When was printing invented?

3. What is the characteristic feature of letterpress?

4. What is the advantage of stereotypes?

5. When did non – metallic composition appear?

6. Can a printed product be produced by several printing methods?

7. What can be printed by letterpress?

8. Why is letterpress printing still popular?

Text 2C

Задание 1. Прочтите текст.

1. Duplicate plates are extremely important relief image carriers. They made it possible to free letterpress from the limitations imposed by composition consisting of individual metallic types. Duplicate plates can be divided into four types: stereotypes, electrotypes, plastic plates and rubber plates. There are some distinctive features of duplicate plates.

2. Duplicate plates can be curved and used for long – run printing. All long – run printing is based on rotary presses. As type forms must be used flat and cannot be curved, they cannot serve for rotary printing. Their place is taken by curved duplicate plates. Some kinds of duplicate plates are made either flat or curved, others can be made flat and then curved, still others are sufficiently flexible not to need separate curving as they will conform by their own flexibility to the curvature of the cylinder.

3. Excellent wearing qualities are an important requirement for long – run printing. Duplicate plates rate highly in this respect. They have a much longer press life than the original material from which they are made. A chromium – faced electrotype, for example, will last ten times as long as the photoengraving from which it was made.

4. Duplicate plates permit the combining of many different original elements in a single image – carrier. Foundry types, slugs of type, wood engravings, photo engravings, and, if necessary, already existing stereotypes and electrotypes can all be combined for duplicate platemaking.

5. Rubber and plastic are materials which are not suitable for typesetting and photoengraving. But some methods of relief printing – flexography for example – cannot use image carriers consisting of metals but must have for their purposes more resilient materials such as natural or synthetic rubber. The only way to obtain such image carriers is by duplicate platemaking.

6. Special techniques can be used to correct some defects of original materials during the manufacturing steps of duplicate platemaking. Some duplicate plates are much lighter and less bulky than original material.

This feature is important where plates must be stored for laer re – printing. Plastic duplicate plates, for example, which are widely used in book printing, occupy much less space than the original type forms from which they are molded. Duplicate plates are also much less heavy than these, a fact not to be forgotten.

Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. How many types of duplicate plates do you know? What are they?

2. What plates are used for rotary printing? Why?

3. Why are duplicate plates used for long – run printing?

4. What different elements can be combined for duplicate platemaking?

5. How are rubber plates obtained?

6. What features of duplicate plates are important when they are stored for re – printing?

Text 2D

Задание 1. Прочтите текст.