The difference between intaglio printing press and letterpress printing press

Intaglio and letterpress printing are two common printing techniques that differ significantly in printing principles, printing effects, and application scope. The main differences are as follows:

1. Printing Principle
Letterpress printing: The image areas on the printing plate are raised above the non-image areas. Ink is evenly applied to the plate via an inking roller; only the image areas come into contact with the ink, while the non-image areas remain ink-free. The ink is then transferred to the substrate under pressure.
Intaglio printing: The image areas on the printing plate are recessed, while the non-image areas are raised. During printing, the entire plate is inked. A doctor blade removes the ink from the non-image areas, leaving ink only in the recessed image areas. The ink is then transferred to the substrate under pressure from these recessed areas.

2. Printing Effects
Letterpress printing: The ink color is relatively thick, with an ink layer thickness of approximately 7μm. It is suitable for printing on coarser substrates, but color reproduction is generally not as good.
Intaglio printing: The ink layer is thick, with rich layers and a strong three-dimensional effect. The printing quality is high, suitable for printing exquisite color images, trademarks, and packaging.

3. Application Scope
Letterpress printing: Mainly used for intaglio printing, such as banknotes, stamps, and valuable securities, as well as commercial certificates or stationery. Due to its high plate-making and printing costs, it is generally used for smaller print runs.
Intaglio printing: Widely used in the printing of exquisite publications such as magazines and product catalogs, packaging printing, banknotes, stamps, and other valuable securities, and also in special fields such as decorative materials. In China, intaglio printing is mainly used for flexible packaging printing.

4. Technical Characteristics
Letterpress printing: The plate-making process is relatively simple, the printing speed is fast, and it is suitable for large-scale printing.
Intaglio printing: The plate-making process is complex, the cycle is long, and the cost is high, but the printing plates are durable and suitable for large-scale printing. The larger the batch, the higher the efficiency.

5. Environmental Protection and Cost
Letterpress printing: Relatively environmentally friendly and lower cost, suitable for small and medium-sized batch printing.
Intaglio printing: The benzene-containing inks used in the plate-making process pollute the environment, and the plate-making cost is high, suitable for large-scale printing.
In summary, intaglio and letterpress printing have significant differences in printing principles, printing effects, application scope, technical characteristics, and environmental protection and cost. The choice of printing technology depends on the specific printing needs and budget.