Which step describes offset lithographic printing as used in the material?

Which step describes offset lithographic printing as used in the material?

• A. Printing plates are produced by a computer to plate process (CTP) via laser etching.
• B. Printing plates are engraved by hand.
• C. Ink is applied directly to the substrate with no dampening.
• D. The process uses dry toner fused by heat.

Answer: (A)

Offset lithography relies on image areas on a plate that accept ink while non-image areas are kept ink-free by a dampening system, with ink then transferred from the plate to a rubber blanket and finally to the substrate. The step described—creating printing plates with computer-to-plate imaging using a laser to expose the plate—fits this process perfectly, because it directly prepares the plate digitally for printing without film intermediaries. This modern workflow is common in offset because it gives precise, repeatable plates and integrates smoothly with the ink-and-dampening balance on the press. Engraving plates by hand isn’t how commercial offset works, offset requires dampening to keep non-image areas from taking ink, and using dry toner fused by heat belongs to electrophotographic printing, not offset lithography.

Offset lithography relies on image areas on a plate that accept ink while non-image areas are kept ink-free by a dampening system, with ink then transferred from the plate to a rubber blanket and finally to the substrate. The step described—creating printing plates with computer-to-plate imaging using a laser to expose the plate—fits this process perfectly, because it directly prepares the plate digitally for printing without film intermediaries. This modern workflow is common in offset because it gives precise, repeatable plates and integrates smoothly with the ink-and-dampening balance on the press. Engraving plates by hand isn’t how commercial offset works, offset requires dampening to keep non-image areas from taking ink, and using dry toner fused by heat belongs to electrophotographic printing, not offset lithography.