Print types

Rotary Printing
In this process the image printing plates are wrapped around a cylinder. This is an automated print process and the material to be printed can be sheet fed or on a roll. The 3 main types of rotary printing are

Offset Lithography, (Litho) 
Etched aluminium plates wrapped around a cylinder transfer ink to an ‘offset’ rubber blanket roller and then to print surface. Sheet fed or Web fed.

Typical ‘WEB offset’ machine. Most web machines are incredibly high speed and run ‘rolls’ of material as opposed to sheet fed. Often have finishing and folding built into the machine.

PLANOGRAPHIC Etched aluminium plates on a cylinder transfer ink to an ‘offset’ rubber blanket roller and then to print surface.

Rotogravure (Gravure) 
Copper plates (with mirror image) transfer ink directly to print surface, usually on rolls. Advantage, plates are more durable and so are good for long print runs.
Typically used for commercial magazines, postcards and corrugated cardboard packaging.

INTAGLIO Copper plates (with mirror image) transfer ink directly to print surface, usually rolls. Advantage, plates are more durable and so are good for

Flexography (Flexo)

A positive, mirror image rubber polymer plate, on a cylinder, transfers ‘sticky’ ink directly to print surface. Usually roll feed. Reasonably cheap and not amazing quality but used on disposable items.
Typically used on cheap and simple packaging designs e.g. chocolate wrappers,

RELIF A positive, mirror image rubber polymer plate, on a cylinder, transfer ink directly to print surface. Usually roll feed.

Other types of print include -

Digital Printing
The reproduction of images by translating the digital code direct from a computer to a material without an intermediate physical process. - Idea for short or one of prints, can be used on a range of different substrates.

Pad Printing
Taking print jobs from 2D to 3D