Printing machine Grafopress

The sound of semi-automatic printing machine Grafopress in operation. It was manufactured by the Adast company in Czechoslovakia in the mid-twentieth century. The sound of the machine was recorded in the Printing Museum in Cieszyn (Poland).
It is a typographical machine in which the printing is performed using the impression technique. Paper is transported to the immovable form containing the setting and the impress is performed. The paper is guided on the surface by two arms of suction nozzles. Printed sheet is also collected manually by means of suction nozzles. Printer’s work was limited to monitoring the machine in operation, supplying paper and ink. Machines of this type are still used in the printing industry from time to time, if not for typographical printing, then for embossing.

Sound recordist: Monika Widzicka
Photographer: Piotr Leszczyński
Video recordist: Piotr Leszczyński