Graphic Design & Printing TechnologyLaser beam engraving :- In laser beam engraving the cylinders are coated with
plastic and the laser functions as a cutting tool. The laser vaporize the plastic
to form the cells. Zinc is more suitable metal base for laser engraving. This
technology is more used in publication and packaging gravure markets. Major
advantages of laser imaging methods are quick imaging, repeatability,
significant ink saving and greater stability.
Ink and substrates
Gravure inks are thinner than those inks used in other printing processes.
Viscocity is also much lower than most inks. Solvent based inks are highly
volatile.
Gravure printing is done on a wide variety of substrates including inexpensive
paper stocks. Packaging and special products typically use substrates such as
film, cellophane, cloth, plastic, and corrugated board. Gravure press also runs
newsprint stock and coated stocks for publication work.
Security Printing
Introduction to security printing
Security printing is used in areas such as currency notes, stamps, credit cards,
cheques, postal orders and many type of top secret goverment informations.
Gravure and offset are the most commonly used security printing methods.
Three main concerns ofsecurity printing are:
- To secure confidentiality of documents.
- To ensure authenticity of documents and make them readily identifiable.
- To make copying, duplicating and forgery of the documents as difficult as
possible.
Security features
Major features in security printing are watermark, security thread, latent image,
microprinting, colour-shifting ink, see through register, etc.
Water mark:-Faint images that are part of paper that are visible from both
sides of the paper are water marks. In currency notes watermarks include
portraits of historical figure and numerical value of currency.
Security threads:- They are plastic strippartly visible and partlyembedded in
the paper that displays value of the bill. Depending on the denomination,
security thread glow orange, green, or yellow when held under UV light.
Guilloches:- They are printed backgrounds consisting of elaborately interwoven
regular wave or arch shaped lines which are produced according to certain