Definition

Noun: A rotary press is a type of printing press that uses a continuously rotating cylinder to transfer ink onto paper or other material. This design allows for high-speed, continuous printing, making it particularly suitable for large-volume publications like newspapers and magazines.

Usage

The term rotary press is used to specify a machine for mass printing, distinguishing it from older, slower flatbed or platen presses. - The invention of the rotary press revolutionized newspaper production in the 19th century. - Modern commercial printers often use high-speed rotary presses for long print runs.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In engineering and printing history, the rotary press is noted for its cylindrical printing surface and web-fed mechanism (using continuous rolls of paper), which significantly increased output compared to sheet-fed presses.
  • The transition from flatbed to rotary press technology was a major milestone in industrial printing.

Variants and Related Words

• Rotary printing: (n.) The method or process of printing using a rotary press.
  • Rotary printing is the standard for producing daily newspapers.
• Web press: (n.) A type of rotary press that prints on a continuous roll (web) of paper. While all web presses are rotary, not all rotary presses are necessarily web-fed (though this is now the most common configuration).
  • The new web press can print over 50,000 copies per hour.

Synonyms

• Cylinder press: A less common synonym emphasizing the central rotating cylinder.
• High-speed press: A descriptive term highlighting its primary functional advantage.

Related Phrases/Compounds

• Rotary press operator: (n.) A person who operates and maintains a rotary press.
  • He trained for years to become a skilled rotary press operator.

Noun

1. a printing press for printing from a revolving cylinder