Gravure Printing Presses

	ID 2394	ROTOCALCO CERUTTI MOD 28 R 9 COLORI rotogravue	Detail
	ID 2413	Rotomec 5 colors	Detail

Intaglio

 Intaglio is a printmaking technique used especially for printing packaging, newspapers and magazines on rotary intaglio machines. Intaglio sheet or combined machines are a special category. They are used for printing fee stamps and banknotes.

Intaglio uses up to 12 colours; 8-10 colours is the standard.

The basic parts of the printing machine for intaglio are similar as in offset printing. The chief difference is in the printing unit.

The intaglio machine applies ink by an inking roller onto the form cylinder with the print's original relief etched in it. Alternative options are ink application by jets, or the form cylinder itself can be partly dipped in ink.

The setting of the colour blade (doctor), which removes any excess ink, is crucial to the print quality.

 Copperplate is the oldest form of intaglio; it was first used in the 15^th century. It gave rise to more recent techniques such as die stamping and steel engraving. They are used for fee stamp printing due to the stability of the printing form, the good rendering of detail and the difficulty of counterfeiting it.

 The intaglio category also includes tampon printing, rotary blade intaglio, classic intaglio and letterpress intaglio derived from it, as well as semi-letterpress intaglio, which is most commonly used at present. In the latter technique, the printing form is worked using a conical diamond stylus. The printing is defined by both its size and depth.