Editing Printer (publishing)

{{Short description|Printing terminology}}

{{for|the device|printer (computing)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
[[File:Printing towns incunabula.svg|thumb|Print shops in the 15th century per establishment date and book output]]

In publishing, '''printers''' are both [[company (law)|companies]] providing [[printing]] services and individuals who directly operate [[printing press]]es.<ref>{{cite dictionary|dictionary=[[Merriam-Webster]]|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/printer|title=Printer|date=22 April 2024 }}</ref>

== Origins of printing ==
The history of printers in publishing in Western Europe dates back to the mid-15th century with the invention of the printing press. [[Johannes Gutenberg]], a German [[goldsmith]], is credited with developing [[movable type]] in the 1450s. His printing press incorporated various innovative techniques, such as individual metal letter blocks and an oil-based ink, enabling faster and more efficient book production.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Lovett |first=A. W |date=9 September 1980 |title=The Printing Press as an Agent of Change. Communications and Cultural Transformations in Early-Modern Europe. By Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. 2 vols. Pp xxi, 794. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1979. £40. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021121400026225 |journal=Irish Historical Studies |volume=22 |issue=86 |pages=184–185 |doi=10.1017/s0021121400026225 |s2cid=163333347 |issn=0021-1214}}</ref>

== Evolution of printing presses ==

=== The Gutenberg Press ===
Gutenberg's press set the foundation for subsequent developments in printing technology. It comprised a heavy wooden frame with a [[Screw (simple machine)|screw mechanism]], enabling the even application of pressure to inked type and paper. Gutenberg's printing press accelerated the production of books, leading to the spread of knowledge and the democratization of information.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Saenger |first1=Paul |last2=Febvre |first2=Lucien |last3=Martin |first3=Henri-Jean |date=1994 |title=The Coming of the Book: The Impact of Printing, 1450–1800 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/369239 |journal=History of Education Quarterly |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=98 |doi=10.2307/369239 |jstor=369239 |issn=0018-2680}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Man |first=John |url=https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4744933 |title=The Gutenberg revolution: the story of a genius and an invention that changed the world |date=2002 |publisher=Review |isbn=978-0-7472-4504-9 |location=London}}</ref>

=== Mechanical and industrial advances ===
In the following centuries, printing presses underwent significant advancements. In the 18th century, the [[steam engine|steam-powered]] press was introduced, enabling higher print volumes. Subsequently, the [[Industrial Revolution]] brought forth the development of [[Rotary printing press|cylinder presses]], powered by steam or mechanized systems. These presses could print thousands of pages per hour, marking a substantial leap in production capabilities.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schindler |first1=Charles R. |last2=Moran |first2=James |date=1 January 1974 |title=Printing Presses: History and Development from the Fifteenth Century to Modern Times |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3102770 |journal=Technology and Culture |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=92 |doi=10.2307/3102770 |jstor=3102770 |issn=0040-165X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=J. R. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dncsAAAAYAAJ |title=The Printed Word and the Common Man: Popular Culture in Ulster, 1700-1900 |date=1987 |publisher=Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University of Belfast |isbn=978-0-85389-304-2 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Offset Lithography ===
In the late 19th century, the introduction of [[offset lithography]] revolutionized the printing industry. This technique used a flat metal plate with an image to transfer ink to a rubber blanket, which, in turn, printed the image onto the paper. Offset lithography offered more efficient and cost-effective printing, enabling high-quality reproductions and color printing on a large scale.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://web.tech.uh.edu/digitalmedia/materials/3350/History_of_Litho.pdf The history of lithography]</ref>

== Types ==
Printers can include:

*[[Newspaper]] printers, often owned by newspaper publishers
*[[Magazine]] printers, usually independent of magazine publishers
*[[Book]] printers, often not directly connected with book publishers
*[[Postcard]] printers
*[[Stationery]] printers
*[[Packaging]] printers
*[[Trade printing|Trade printers]], who offer wholesale rates within the printing industry
*[[Wide-format printer]]s, who specialize in wide format prints, such as signs and banners
*[[Printmaker]]s, artists who create their artworks using printing

==References==
{{commonscat|Printing works}}
{{reflist}}

{{Self-publishing|state=expanded}}
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[[Category:Printers|*]]
[[Category:Printing]]
[[Category:Printing terminology]]
[[Category:Publishing]]