Risograph printing: what it is, how it works, application

Risograph is equipment for screen printing on paper. It combines the capabilities of a copier and an offset device. This gives the machine great opportunities for printing documents and printing products. Let's consider how the risograph works, where it is used.

What is a risograph

This equipment is in the shape of a cube. On the sides of the risograph has trays for paper, and on top - a digital interface. How a risograph works:

• There is a scanner inside the machine. A layout is placed there. The risograph reads it.
• The thermal head forms a stencil on the risograph master film according to the set parameters.
• The stencil is fixed on the drum. Ink is fed to it. It impregnates the master film from inside.
• During the printing process, the risograph mechanism grabs a sheet of paper and presses it against the drum.
• The ink from the master film is transferred to the surface of the paper. To apply many colors, the sheet is run several times.
• The printed sheet is moved to the tray.
• When finished, the master film is removed and discarded.

A risograph is faster than offset equipment or a digital printing device. Another feature of the risograph is that it can make very bright colors for posters and magazines, which can not be obtained on other types of machines. This machine produces large runs of products from 5,000 to 50,000 copies.

Risograph capabilities:

• The equipment selects the method of scanning.
• The device works with texts, photos and images.
• Prints with a resolution of 400-600 pixels are produced.
• The risograph can scale the image.
• This equipment prints on different types of paper: for newspapers, on offset paper, on thin cardboard, on envelopes, on self-adhesive paper, on light colored paper.
• Risograph printing can be combined with digital printing in case it is necessary to produce a very colorful image.

Risographs differ in format. There is equipment for working with A4 paper and printing with low resolution. For the manufacture of promotional products use risographs for A3 paper with the option of computer formatting matrix. This gives high-quality printing on large formats.

It is not necessary to use a paper layout for the risograph. It can be sent to the interface of the equipment electronically just like a regular printer. This is a better method, because the number of errors that occur during scanning is reduced.

Risograph applications

Various printing products are produced on the risograph:

• Documents for offices - forms, reporting forms, applications.
• Advertising products - booklets, leaflets, business cards.
• Educational aids - manuals, brochures, textbooks.
• Reports and presentations in the form of diagrams, schemes with text.
• Equipment instructions and warranty cards.
• Prescriptions, medical cards, etc.

Risograph is not used for printing on glossy or chalk-covered paper, because glycerin-based ink is poorly absorbed into it. The machine does not print the image all the way to the edge of the sheet. Small margins remain, which are then trimmed. Full-color printing on the risograph is impossible, because different shades must have indents one from the other. It is not used for printing layouts with many illustrations, which require large color fills.