Strengths of Gravure Printing

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Strengths of Gravure Printing

• Danny Yates UPM-Kymenne, Inc.
• Malcolm Keif Cal Poly State University
• Ron Brathwaite JCP Media, L.P.
• Paul Wiedlin Nordenia, USA

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Gravure is a high-quality process, offering
numerous advantages.
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Stability

• The gravure print unit has the simplest design of
  all printing processes. This makes it an
  inherently stable process. The process is easily
  controlled with minimal variables.

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Varying ink-film thickness (Shadow detail)

• Gravure is the only high-volume printing process
  that can apply a variable ink film thickness.
  This results in dramatic shadow richness and a
  near-continuous-tone appearance.

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National Geographic Oct. 2003

• Gravure body
• Rich shadows, fine detail, brighter reds

• Offset - Cover
• Same plant, different stock, ink sequence

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National Geographic Nov 2003

• Gravure
• Greater detail, more saturation, richer shadows

• Offset
• Italian version, similar stock, different printer

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Total ink-film thickness

• Gravure can deposit significantly thicker
  ink-films than offset and gravure. Therefore,
  gravure can produce vibrant, opaque colors and
  rich blacks.

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Cylinder life

• For long runs, nothing can compare to the run
  length of roto.

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Fast press speeds

• Gravure presses are among the fastest in terms of
  speeds. No cylinder gaps.

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IN COMPARISON TO OFFSET...
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Direct printing

• Being a direct printing process, overall fidelity
  is better than offset, which is a 2nd
  generation reproduction.

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Gapless

• Gapless printing not only offers the capability
  of continuous images but also higher-speed and
  smoother runs.

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Dry trapping

• Dry trapping means greater ink coverage
  capabilities and no risk of backtrap mottle (i.e.
  ink tack issues).

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Light-weight substrates

• Gravure can print on lighter weight substrates
  than any other printing process particularly
  important to the publication market for reducing
  postage.

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Variable repeat

• Offset presses usually have fixed cutoffs,
  limiting press-sheet utilization.

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Larger press forms

• Gravure presses are among the widest in the
  world. The solid gravure cylinder has greater
  structural rigidity than offset cylinders.

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IN COMPARISON TO FLEXO...
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Consistency

• Modern gravure presses reduce and even eliminate
  the operator as a variable, unlike flexo, which
  largely relies on the finesse of the operator to
  set impression.

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Computer-to-cylinder

• Gravure has the longest history with digital
  workflows. Gravure printers have managed color
  longer than anyone. Digital proofing has
  minimized cylinder corrections.

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THE GRAVURE ISSUES...
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Cost of engravings

• There is significant inconsistency in pricing.
• European and Japanese pricing is much more
  competitive.
• The nature of gravure attracting long runs means
  there are simply not enough cylinder engravings
  done to take advantage of improved efficiencies.

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Old equipment

• The stability of gravure has hindered
  printers/converters from updating their
  equipment.
• There is still a lot of very old equipment out
  there, particularly in some packaging markets.

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Time of engravings

• Engravings take significantly longer than a CTP
  Litho plates, though flexo plates are time
  consuming too.

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Smooth stocks required

• The nature of gravure limits it for certain
  applications because of the roughness of the
  stock.

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Solvents (environmental)

• Publication gravure and some flexible packaging
  markets need alternatives to advance
  environmentally.
• Development of UV/EB for gravure?

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Few suppliers

• Three publication suppliers (how long before it
  will be two) and they all sell offset too.
• They have no particular incentive to be
  innovative with gravure.

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Physical location of plants

• Does this impact a buyers decision?

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Gravure is an excellent process and will advance
to remain competitive.