Ranking of Ink Thickness from Thickest to Thinnest for Gravure, Lithography, Relief, and Screen Printing
Ranking of Ink Thickness from Thickest to Thinnest for Gravure, Lithography, Relief, and Screen Printing
The ranking of ink thickness for these four printing methods is very distinct, which is also why they are each suitable for different products.
The order from thickest to thinnest is:
Screen Printing > Gravure Printing > Relief Printing > Lithographic Printing
Below, we provide a detailed explanation and comparison.
Ink Thickness Ranking and Detailed Explanation
Printing Method | Average Thickness Range (Dry Film) | Principle Brief | Common Applications |
1. Screen Printing (Stencil/Porous) | 8 - 30 μm or even thicker | Ink is forced through the open meshes of a screen by a squeegee onto the substrate. Ink volume is controlled by the mesh opening size and screen mesh count, allowing it to be built up very thickly. | T-shirt printing, ceramic decals, electronic product panels, large-format posters, Braille, 3D/raised varnish. |
2. Gravure Printing (Intaglio) | 5 - 20 μm | Ink fills engraved cells on a cylinder. A doctor blade scrapes excess ink from the non-image areas, and pressure transfers the ink from the cells to the substrate. Ink layer thickness is determined by cell depth. | Premium packaging (cigarette packs, wine boxes), flexible plastic packaging, stamps, banknotes, wood-grain paper. |
3. Relief Printing | 1 - 5 μm | The image area is raised above the non-image area. The raised areas are inked and then pressed onto the substrate. The ink layer is relatively uniform. | Flexographic Printing: Corrugated boxes, paper bags, labels, food packaging (printed on corrugated board). Traditional Letterpress: Hot foil stamping, embossing, business cards. |
4. Lithographic Printing (Offset) | 0.5 - 1.5 μm | Utilizes the principle of “oil and water repulsion.” Image areas are oleophilic/hydrophobic, non-image areas are hydrophilic/oleophobic. Ink is transferred indirectly to the substrate via a rubber blanket, resulting in the thinnest, most uniform ink layer. | Books, magazines, brochures, commercial advertising, newspapers, color packaging boxes. |
Comparative Summary and Key Points to Remember
1. Thickest: Screen Printing (Porous)
a. Characteristic: The only process where a thick ink layer can be formed through physical build-up. Thickness is easily adjustable and can even achieve a pronounced three-dimensional tactile effect.
b. Analogy: Like applying plaster or putty – the material can be piled on.
2. Second Thickest: Gravure Printing (Intaglio)
a. Characteristic: Ink layer thickness depends on the depth of the engraved cells. Capable of printing very solid, full colors and rich tonal gradation.
b. Analogy: Like using a stamp – the deeper the engraving, the more ink paste it holds, resulting in a more saturated print.
3. Third: Relief Printing (Primarily Flexography)
a. Characteristic: Ink layer thickness depends on the ink volume capacity (BCM - Billion Cubic Microns) of the anilox roller’s cells. Although also a direct printing method, the ink layer cannot be too thick to ensure suitability for high-speed printing.
b. Analogy: Like using a stamp with uniform dimples (anilox roller) to pick up ink, then transferring it to the raised plate, and finally to the substrate. The ink volume is controlled by those small dimples.
4. Thinnest: Lithographic Printing (Offset)
a. Characteristic: Being an indirect process, ink is first transferred to a rubber blanket and then to the paper. This process evenly spreads and thins the ink layer. This is why offset printing has sharp dots and rich tonal gradation, but it also limits color saturation; printing large solid areas is not as solid/thick as in gravure.
b. Analogy: Like using a damp sponge (rubber blanket) to pick up a very thin film of oil, then gently pressing it onto paper.
Why is This Ranking Important?
This ranking directly determines the application scenarios for different printing methods:
● Require极强的遮盖力: Need extremely strong opacity or 3D effects (e.g., printing on white T-shirts, printing Braille) -> Choose Screen Printing.
● Require高质量: Need high quality, saturated, solid colors for packaging (e.g., chocolate wrappers, gift boxes) -> Choose Gravure Printing.
● Require高速印刷: Need high-speed printing on uneven surfaces (e.g., corrugated boxes, plastic films) -> Choose Flexography (Relief Printing).
● Require高速、低成本、高质量: Need high-speed, low-cost, high-quality printing of graphic-intensive flat products (e.g., magazines, catalogs) -> Choose Lithographic (Offset) Printing.