21 Feb 2008 02:01:56 | Marlon D. Ludovice
There are a lot of new technologies used in the printing press
industry. Make it from simple to very complicated machines that
for sure will lead to the transformation of printing services.
And even more, latest technologies are still innovating for
faster and accurate printing results.
The original method of printing was block printing, pressing
sheets of paper into individually carved wooden blocks usually
called(xylography). It is believed that block printing
originated in China and the earliest known printed text, the
Diamond Sutra (a Buddhist scripture), was printed in China in
868 A.D. The technique was also known in Europe, where it was
mostly used to print Bibles. Because of the difficulties
inherent in carving massive quantities of minute text for every
block, and given the levels of peasant illiteracy at the time,
texts such as the "Pauper's Bibles" emphasized illustrations and
used words sparsely. As a new block had to be carved for each
page, printing different books was an incredibly time consuming
activity.
After the block printing another technique was been introduced,
the moveable clay and metal type are processes much more than
hand copying. The use of movable type in printing was invented
in 1041 AD by Bi Sheng in China. Sheng used clay type, which
broke easily, but eventually Goryeo (Korea) sponsored the
production of metal type (a type foundry was established by the
Korean government in the early 15th century). Since there are
thousands of Chinese characters (Koreans also used Chinese
characters in literature), the benefit of the technique is not
as apparent as with alphabetic based languages. Movable type did
spur, however, additional scholarly pursuits in Song China and
facilitated more creative modes of printing. Nevertheless,
movable type was never extensively used in China until the
European style printing press was introduced in relatively
recent times (thus bringing the technology full circle).
Although probably unaware of the Chinese/Korean printing
methods. Gutenberg refined the technique with the first
widespread use of movable type, where the characters are
separate parts that are inserted to make the text. Gutenberg is
also credited with the first use of an oil-based ink, and using
"rag" paper introduced into Europe from China by way of Muslims,
who had a paper mill in operation in Baghdad as early as 794.
Before inventing the printing press in 1440, Gutenberg had
worked as a goldsmith. Without a doubt, the skills and knowledge
of metals that he learned as a craftsman were crucial to the
later invention of the press.
From the different pioneering inventors of the printing press,
nowadays high-tech machines are also invented to to help upgrade
the industry when it comes to fast, efficient and credible
result of printing services. The printing press certainly
initiated an "information revolution" on par with the Internet
today. Printing could and did spread new ideas quickly and with
greater impact.
For additional information and comments about the article you
may log on to http://www.aprintingpress.com
About Author :
Well actually i'm not fun of writing, i dont write at all. i am
not expecting that i will be in this field. But i love to read
books...almost everything interest me. reading is my passion!
but now that i am in an article writer team, writing gives me an
additional thrill in myself...Before i love to read books but
now im also in a writing stuff. I can't say im a good writer but
i am trying to be one.