Intaglio vs Offset (Lithography) vs LetterPress Printing: Explainer Video with Animated Graphics

What is INTAGLIO printing and how it differs from LITHOGRAPHY (Offset) and LETTER PRESS (Relief) printing methods for banknotes.

00:00 INTRO
01:00 INTAGLIO
02:04 OFFSET LITHOGRAPHY
03:34 LETTERPRESS
04:29 COMPARISON

First Offset lithography is used for background design printing on banknotes. Unlike letterpress or intaglio printing, offset does not depend on raised or etched surfaces to transfer images. Instead it relies on the fact that oil and water do not mix. The flat offset plate is chemically treated so only the design area retains the greasy ink and the rest of the plate retains water and repels ink. Offset plate with ink does not directly contact the paper, instead the inked design is first transferred to an intermediate rubber blanket, which accepts ink from the plate and then the rubber finally contact the paper to transfers the inked design. Series of separate offset printing, one for each color, is required to achieve progressive multicolor printing.

Next intaglio printing is performed. Main portrait, vignette, or lettering is manually engraved into soft steel (called Maser Die) with dots and dashes using metal tools by skilled engraving artist. The design from Master Dies are used to make Printing Plates that get mounted on cylinderical printing press. The design unlike letterpress method, engraved or etched into the plate as depression. Ink applied to the surface fills these depressions, then plate and paper are pressed together under high pressure. The paper is actually forced into the ink-filled depressions to transfer an image to the paper that has a raised tactile feel which is incredibly hard for counterfeiters to reproduce so Intaglio printing is important security element of printing banknotes.

Finally Letterpress, or Relief printing is done for serial numbers and seals. The numbers or design is raised from the background plate like an ink rubber stamp so that when it is inked and pressed against paper, only the raised portions transmit the image to the paper's surface.