California Offset Printing

Offset printing is used in about 40% of all print jobs today. It is responsible for the printing of newspaper, making books affordable and making marketing and promotion the main tools of the business world. A specialty of Bay Area Graphics in California, offset printing is a technique where an inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. The image is placed face side up on the first cylinder which is a printing plate that is inked and transferred to a second cylinder. The second cylinder is mounted with a rubber blanket and the image that was transferred onto it is in the reverse order. This image is then transferred to a third cylinder or substrate which is known as the impression cylinder and is mounted on it ending up in the right position in the final printed version.

Offset printing that is used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, employs a flat image carrier on which the image to be printed obtains the ink form ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a film of water keeping it free from ink. When compared to other printing techniques available in California, offset printing results in consistent high image quality because of the production of cleaner and sharper images, is quick and easy to reproduce printing plates leading to a high throughput and results in a longer printing plate life for the user. Some common types of offset printing include the photo offset which involves the use of light-sensitive chemicals and photographic techniques to transfer images and type from original images to the printing plate, the sheet-fed litho technique that offsets litho printing on to single sheets of paper or board and present day offset printing that uses computer to plate systems which increases the quality of offset prints.

The high quality and efficiency in high-volume jobs has led to the popularity in California of offset printing in commercial printing. It is therefore used by many graphics companies such as Bay Area Graphics to print flyers, brochures, company calendars and advertisements as well as business cards. It can be used to print books, magazines and other reading material and is even used in the packaging industry for creative printing of product packaging. Bay Area Graphics (BAG) is a company that was started to bring small ideas scribbled on a napkin or full-blown mechanical art into fruition using its resources and skills as a printing resource. At BAG no job is too big or too small for its designers. From custom jobs to quickie jobs, BAG has the solution for you. Using high quality printing techniques such as offset printing and four process printing, BAG can make show-stopping custom stationery, promotional packages and T-shirts, brochures and folders as well as business cards that will grab the attention of anyone that you want seeing your product. Whether you are advertising, promoting or just want beautiful stationery with your company logo, BAG can give you what you want and leave you with great customer satisfaction. Visit www.bayareagraphics.com for more information on how to turn your brilliant idea into reality.