offsetkoneet

Offsetkoneet, often referred to as offset printing presses, are a cornerstone of commercial printing. They operate on the principle of oil and water repulsion. In offset printing, the image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, and then to the printing surface. This indirect method differentiates it from direct printing techniques. The plates used in offset printing are typically made of metal, such as aluminum, and are treated in a way that creates image and non-image areas. The image areas attract ink, while the non-image areas attract water.

During the printing process, the plate is dampened with water, which adheres to the non-image areas. Ink is then applied, and it sticks only to the image areas. This inked image is then transferred to a rubber blanket cylinder, which offsets the image onto the paper or other substrate. This indirect transfer process protects the original plate from direct contact with the paper, leading to longer plate life and the ability to print on a wider variety of materials, including textured or uneven surfaces.

Offset presses come in various configurations, including sheet-fed and web-fed systems. Sheet-fed presses use individual sheets of paper, commonly used for shorter runs and high-quality jobs like brochures and business cards. Web-fed presses use a continuous roll of paper, ideal for high-volume printing such as newspapers, magazines, and packaging. The technology allows for precise color reproduction through the use of multiple ink units, each applying a different color (typically CMYK - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) to build up the final image.