The Print Revolution

With computer technology, advances in machinery and our own understanding and knowledge, many industries operating today are a result of dramatic change and development. The printing process, which without doubt has played the key role in our educational development, is a perfect example of how these advances can bring significant changes not only to the production and productivity of an industry but also to society as a whole.

The widespread introduction of steam printing in the 1830s - including David Wood & Son in Perth - saw a sudden surge in the supply of print material. This coupled with improved literacy levels amongst working classes brought a dramatic increase in newspapers, local newsletters and publications such as the 'Penny Dreadfuls'. From this came the famous "Pickwick Papers" by Charles Dickens, published in weekly parts. The print revolution had begun to impact on our social development.

Ongoing developments in the 20th century allowed faster, easier and more cost effective levels of production but it is only in the past decade that the slick, polished printing industry that we know today came into play.

During the 1960s the progressive proof process meant that colour was applied to the page building layers of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black - known in the industry as four passes. The plates were acid etched meaning that the machines required a full wash-up in between layers - production was around 2500 sheets per hour.

Compare this with recent years where, although separate plates are still required for each colour, the whole job is completed in one pass allowing the production of 12,500 sheets per hour - five times more effective than 40 years ago.

Of course, the past decade's digital revolution has changed more than just the printing process. The ability to digitise and transmit artwork directly from the designer's computer to the printing plate brings you - the customer, the reader, the editor - a far higher quality and better print finish.

Add to this broadband-based Internet and the time-consuming proofing stage is cut out completely as direct access to jobs becomes available from the client's desktop.

Bill Lunn of Woods of Perth, who served his printing apprenticeship in the 1960s summed it up for Curve, "The industry I started out in as a young apprentice was messy and time consuming. Today, the make ready times are shorter, the speed of the press is faster and job is easier from start to finish, this enables us to meet the tight deadlines required today, something which would not have been possible in the 1960s. Our clients can check their proofs online and we can produce business materials at 24 hours notice."

So better production, higher quality print, clearer graphics, information and photographic replication - our Victorian Ancestors could never have imagined this print revolution.