This is a partial list of text and image duplicating processes used in business and government from the Industrial Revolution forward. Some are mechanical and some are chemical. There is naturally some overlap with printing processes and photographic processes, but the challenge of precisely duplicating business letters, forms, contracts, and other paperwork prompted some unique solutions as well. There were many short-lived inventions along the way.
Duplicating processes Within each type, the methods are arranged in very rough chronological order.
Methods of copying handwritten letters Manifold stylographic writer, using early "carbonic paper" Letter copying book process Mechanical processes Tracing to make accurate hand-drawn copies Pantograph, manual device for making drawn copies without tracing, can also enlarge or reduce Printmaking, which includes engraving and etching Relief printing including woodcut Intaglio (printmaking) or copperplate engraving Planographic printing Line engraving
Printing/Applied ink methods Letterpress printing (via printing press) Gelatin methods (also indirect method) Hectograph Collography, autocopyist Chromograph, Copygraph, Polygraph Flexography Spirit duplicator (also Rexograph, Ditto machine, Banda machine, or Roneo) Lithographic processes Transfer lithography Anastatic lithography Autographic process Offset lithography Photolithography Stencil-based copying methods Papyrography Electric pen, invented by Thomas Edison Trypograph (also file plate process) Cyclostyle, Neostyle Stencil-based machines Mimeograph (also Roneo, Gestetner) Digital Duplicators (also called CopyPrinters, e.g., Risoraph and Gestetner) Typewriter-based copying methods Carbon paper Blueprint typewriter ribbon Carbonless copy paper Photographic processes: Reflex copying process (also reflectography, reflexion copying) Breyertype, Playertype, Manul Process, Typon Process, Dexigraph, Linagraph Daguerreotype Salt print Calotype (the first photo process to use a negative, from which multiple prints could be made) Cyanotype Photostat machine Rectigraph Airgraph (also V-mail) Kodagraph autopositive paper Kodagraph repro-negative paper Diffusion transfer Verifax, Copyproof Photomechanical transfer (also PMT') Duostat, duoprint Retroflex (printing process) Dual spectrum process LightJet Ozalid Chemical processes Aniline process Cyanotype (used for blueprints) Diazotype (also whiteprint, ammonia print, or gas print) Heat-sensitivity methods Thermofax (also thermography) Eichner drycopy process Adherography Electrostatic methods Electrofax Xerography, Photocopying Ultraviolet-sensitivity methods APT process, for transferring drawings to animation cels Image scanning and digital printing
External links Duplicating in the year B.C. - Before (xerographic) Copies at the Wayback Machine (archived June 24, 2009) Making Copies from Carbon to Kinkos Copies in Seconds (PDF) Antique Copying Machines at Officemuseum.com Office and Reprographic Printing Cheatsheet – Preservation Self-Assessment Program