The Gutenberg Press

 In 1440, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg started experimenting with printing presses. By 1450, he had developed a printing machine that was ready to be used commercially. Gutenberg's printing press used metal pieces instead of wood. It required less maintenance and cost much less than the wooden presses that were being used at the time.

 To print his book, Gutenberg combined a few ideas. He made each letter of his alphabet fit together seamlessly so that the entire page would be in perfectly straight lines and columns. He also created a special ink that would stick to metal. Using a winepress and a screw, Gutenberg figured out how to flatten the printing paper to give a better-finished product.