Plate Preparation: The process begins with creating a printing plate for each color used in the design. Typically, these plates are made of metal (usually aluminum) and have areas that are sensitive to light. The design is transferred onto these plates using a photosensitive chemical process or computer-to-plate technology. Ink Application: The printing plate is dampened with water, which adheres to the areas without the image. Ink is then applied to the plate. The ink adheres only to the image areas on the plate, repelled by the water on the non-image areas. Transfer to Blanket: The inked image is then transferred from the plate to a rubber blanket cylinder. This intermediate step is crucial as the rubber blanket allows for a smoother transfer of ink to the final substrate and helps prevent damage to the printing plate. Printing: The rubber blanket, now carrying the inked image, comes into contact with the paper or other printing substrate, transferring the image onto it. This process can be repeated multiple times with different color plates to create full-color prints. Drying: After printing, the ink must be allowed to dry completely before any further processing can take place. Depending on the type of ink used and the printing substrate, drying can be achieved through air drying or by using drying equipment such as heaters or drying ovens.