Print Jobs
The printing process covers a wide range of jobs, from preparing material for printing to finishing the product. Printing firms may specialise in general printing, books, magazines, newspapers, high quality colour printing such as greeting cards, stationery, labels, packaging materials and printing on metal.
Some of the careers in this area:
Reprographics Operative
Reprographics operatives are usually responsible for a variety of tasks, including operating photocopiers and various print finishing machines. The range of duties varies from place to place.
The work involves preparing machines for the next job by setting and adjusting the machine as required. The operative also has to clean and maintain the machinery, including replacing toner in photocopiers.
The copiers have to be loaded and unloaded with paper. Then, the printed material is transferred to the next stage of production.
Machine Printer
Machine printers set up and run printing presses. The printer receives the customer’s requirements and then loads the machine with paper or other materials, such as plastic or board.
Modern machines have a computer that controls the machinery. These are used to control and adjust speed and pressure. A trial run is done so that any adjustments can be made before the main run begins. The machine printer is responsible for the machine while it is running.
Print Finisher
Print finishers take printed goods and make them into a finished product. They are skilled in using machinery to fold, cut and put together the printed products. They may operate a guillotine to cut the printed material, and use other machines to crease, fold, staple, stitch, bind and glue it.
Most print finishers perform all or some of these tasks, depending on the individual company or job. However, some perform just one function in the process.
Print finishers also have to adjust and control the machines. A few printing firms bind books by hand. This is highly skilled work that involves using special hand tools and quality materials such as gold leaf, leather and linen thread. These kinds of bookbinding skills might also be used in the repair and renovation of old or damaged books.
Screen Printer
Screen printers transfer images onto a variety of materials, such as T-shirts, posters, glass, ceramics and stainless steel. A screen printer makes a stencil to match the shape to be printed, which is then copied onto a very fine mesh screen. Coloured inks are then passed through the stencil onto the material below.