Profession lithographer

Lithographers make and prepare metal plates to be used as the original in various printing processes and media. Plates are usually laser-etched from digital sources with computer-to-plate technology, but can also be made by applying types of emulsions to the printing plate.

Personality Type

• Artistic / Investigative
• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Screen printing inks

  Various types of screen ink, such as solvent, water, water plastisol, and UV curable ink solutions.

• Print stripping

  Printing technique in which the printed pages are arranged into specific patterns in order to create efficient printing plates. This has to be planned correctly so that the printed material can be folded to produce the requested brochures or books with the correct pagination and to be cut down after printing.

• Quality standards

  The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

• Offset printing

  Technological printing process where the ink is spread onto a plate with etched images, then to a rubber blanket, and finally onto the target medium, usually paper. This method is used for mass printing on large scales.

• Printing materials

  The materials, such as paper, film, metal foils, and glass, on which texts or designs can be transferred by applying ink through direct pressure or with intermediate rollers.

• Photoengraving

  Processes for engraving metal film masks to be used to protect and coat plates for various printing processes. Cut the masking material and select the correct colour using the photomechanical method.

• Printing techniques

  The techniques and processes to reproduce text and images using a master form or template such as letterpress printing, gravure, and laser printing.

• Printing plate making

  The different techniques used to produce the plates that will be mounted on rolls for the flexographic or offset printing process such as laser engraving or the technique consisting in placing a film negative over a plate exposed to ultra-violet light.

Skills

• Operate laser plate maker machine

  Maintain and handle laser plate making equipment, which converts electronic data to plates without the use of photographic film. Use erasers and needles to perform minor deletions, additions or corrections to complete these materials.

• Follow safety precautions in printing

  Apply safety and health principles, policies and institutional regulations of working in printing production. Protect oneself and others against such hazards as chemicals used in printing, invasive allergens, heat, and disease causing agents.

• Ink printing plates

  Cover the plate with a thin coat of water and apply oil-based inks with a rubber roller, repelling and sticking the ink to the image area. This image can then further be transferred to paper in various printing processes.

• Mix ink

  Tend a computer-guided dispenser that mixes different shades of ink to obtain the desired colour.

• Set scanner controls

  Use a mouse, keyboard or other controls to set up the scanner precisely.

• Prepare colour mixtures

  Prepare colour mixtures in accordance with the recipes and/or the characteristics of the article to be achieved.

• Follow production schedule

  Follow production schedule taking into account all requirements, times and needs. This schedule outlines what individual commodities must be produced in each time period and encapsulates various concerns like production, staffing, inventory, etc. It is usually linked to manufacturing where the plan indicates when and how much of each product will be demanded. Utilise all the information in the actual implementation of the plan.

• Prepare printing form

  Prepare and inspect plates that are used in printing process to transfer ink on the desired surface and place them in the machines, for example fixing them around printing rollers.

• Maintain lithographic printing plates

  Produce and store plates used in lithographic offset printing by running a previously imposed and ripped file to plate or exposing and developing the plate using hand tools or machines.

• Scale copies

  Use proportion wheels to scale the layout and resolution of images up or down.

• Perform image editing

  Edit various types of images such as analogue and digital photographs or illustrations.

• Prepare films for printing plates

  Place the photographic materials coated with a light-sensitive substance on the printing plate in such a way that will limit waste and facilitate printing processes. Place the plates in the machine for the different exposure and curing processes.

• Read job ticket instructions

  Understand instructions from the cards accompanying job orders and set up or run the machine based on these statements.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB