PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Printing technology includes occupations involved in prepress, press and binding, or post-press processes. Workers might transform text and pictures for printing plates, or use digital technology for graphics, layout or printing. Includes operating and maintaining equipment or computers used in printing process.

CAREER DETAILS

Description:
Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille.

Tasks:

  • Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers’ marks.
  • Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.
  • Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found.
  • Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors.
  • Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.

*Additional tasks may be needed for this career.

Average Salary:
$25,740 – $56,590

Description:
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.

Tasks:

  • Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
  • Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
  • Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
  • Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
  • Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.

*Additional tasks may be needed for this career.

Average Salary:
$20,220 – $52,540

Description:
Bind books and other publications or finish printed products by hand or machine. May set up binding and finishing machines.

Tasks:

  • Examine stitched, collated, bound, or unbound product samples for defects, such as imperfect bindings, ink spots, torn pages, loose pages, or loose or uncut threads.
  • Read work orders to determine instructions and specifications for machine set-up.
  • Install or adjust bindery machine devices, such as knives, guides, rollers, rounding forms, creasing rams, or clamps, to accommodate sheets, signatures, or books of specified sizes.
  • Trim edges of books to size, using cutting machines, book trimming machines, or hand cutters.
  • Stitch or glue endpapers, bindings, backings, or signatures, using sewing machines, glue machines, or glue and brushes.

*Additional tasks may be needed for this career.

Average Salary:
$19,600 – $50,120

VIRGINIA WIZARD

Learn more about the careers above and others in this sector by visiting the Virginia Education Wizard.