Flong

Flong is a term used in relief printing (also called a stereo mould), which refers to an intermediate step in making of a stereo plate typically used in a rotary press though not exclusively. The process was called stereotyping.

Invented in Lyon in 1829 by the French printer Claude Genoux, a flong was a papier-mâché mould made with the aid of heat and pressure of a set forme of type. After placing it in a casting box, a thin replica of the original (metal) type (and illustrations) would be cast against it all in one piece. A limited number of duplicate casts could be made from one flong. The back shaved stereo plate would be attached to a press cylinder or honeycomb base and allow the original undamaged type to be distributed or recycled. The stereotypes could be stored for repeat editions in much less space than standing forms.