Relief printing process

This is a relief printing process in which the image areas are raised above the level of the non-image areas and transferred from the inked printing plate to the metal surface by means of an intermediate resilient rubber surface. 

The printing process can be separated into two parts fabrication of the stamp and use of this stamp to pattern features defined by the relief on its surface. These two processes are typically quite different, although it is possible in some cases to use patterns generated by a stamp to produce a replica of that stamp. The structure from which the stamp is derived, which is known as the master , can be fabricated with any technique that is capable of producing well-defined patterns of surface relief. This master can then be used directly as the stamp, or it can be used to produce stamps via molding or printing procedures. 

A printing plate can consist of two areas, one of which receives ink (printing area) and the other to which ink is not applied (non-printing area). In the relief process the printing area is raised above the non-print area. The main printing processes using this relief principle are now detailed. 

Flexographic printing is printing process that uses a flexible relief plate. The basic principles of this method can be foimd elsewhere (18,19). The first patent for a flexographic type printing press dates from 1909, even when such machines were fabricated earlier (20). 

Relief printing (1875) n. Process utilizing those portions of the matrix which are in relief for taking ink from a supply roller and transferring it to the surface to be printed. 

Letterpress Printing The process used for paper is adapted to plastics by the use of special inks and transfer rolls, and possibly a modification of press speed, flexible printing plates are usually employed, made of vinyl or rubber. It is the oldest method of printing flat plastic substrates and uses a press for relief printing from metal type or raised surfaces formed from wood, metal, or linoleum. (Printing ink manual, 5th edn. Leach RH, Pierce RJ, Hickman EP, Mackenzie MJ, Smith HG (eds). Blueprint, New York, 1993)... 

Figure 3 Cushionflor techniques for obtaining printed/relief PVC plastisol floor covering. Adapted with permission from D.H. Morton-Jones, Polymer Processing, Chapman Hall, London, 1989.

Writing a book, as many have said but few realize until they try it, can at times seem like an endless process. But with the continuing support of all the people mentioned - especially my steadfast wife Judy (amanuensis and general factotum) -this book at last seems ready to print. What a relief ... 

Flexography was a relief process on a rubber or composition type stereo mounted on a printing cylinder. Originally suffered from squash-out but better control on registration means that good half tone printing can now be achieved. 

Novolac polymers are soluble in a variety of common organic solvents. Resist films are typically cast from organic solutions (propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, or PGMEA, is a common solvent) to form isotropic, glassy, thin films. These polymers are also soluble in aqueous alkaline solutions due to the presence of the acidic phenolic functionalities on the polymer backbone. It is this base solubility that is exploited in the development process. In order to print a relief image in a photoresist, it must be possible to modify the dissolution rate of the resist upon exposure to radiation. It is not the... 

Block printing n. A process of printing with blocks on which the unit or design stands out in relief. Pear wood is traditionally used, and a different block is needed for each color. Also called hard-blocking. See printing. 

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