The past couple of weeks we have covered digital printing and offset printing and the basic advantages of each when it comes to commercial printing. This week we are going to take an in depth look at each technology in efforts to help you determine which one is best for you and when you should use what. Consumers not familiar with commercial printing often think of the technologies as competing with one another, but when used together both technologies can provide a complete solution for all of your printing needs.
Understanding the Process
Understanding the process of offset printing and how it varies from digital printing is important when understanding the costs associated with each.
Offset Printing:
In commercial printing, offset printing is thought of as the traditional printing method. When using offset printing, there is an extensive set up that is required. The process begins by creating plates that portray the images that will be printed. Once the plates are created and the press is set up, the plates make an inked impression on a rubber blanket cylinder which then transfers the image to the printing surface. At first, the press will run at a slow rate to make sure that what is being printed is matching up with the specs of the specific project. If what the press is producing is incorrect, the press will be tweaked until the output is correct. Once everything is aligned and looks good, the press will run at a much faster speed to produce the job. The set up involved with offset printing is a onetime cost that often times goes unnoticed when printing very high quantities. When using offset printing the cost per unit decreases as quantities increase.
Digital Printing:
The digital printing process is much simpler and has had a significant impact on the comemrcial printing industry. Unlike offset printing, running a job digitally requires very little set up. The process involves an image that is sent directly to the printer using a digital file such as a PDF. The cost per unit stays fairly consistent regardless of quantity.
Quality Expectations
Digital printing is continually improving with regards to quality. However, when compared to the more traditional offset printing, offset is still known for producing the best quality when it comes to color and sharp images. When wanting specific PMS colors, offset uses actual Pantone inks where digital printing uses a color matching system that is not nearly as precise.
Flexibility
Both digital printing and offset printing are flexible in their own ways. Because digital printing does not have all of the mechanical steps that offset printing has, changing the information that is being printed is not difficult. As a result, it is much more cost effective to print digitally when personalizing marketing materials through variable data printing. Offset printing is flexible when it comes to the type of material the information can be printed on. Chances are when using specialty papers, finishes, or various printing surfaces, a project will most likely run offset.
Advantages
Digital Printing:
Cost effective for small runs
Quick turnaround times
Allows for personalization through variable data printing
Offset Printing:
High quality
Cost effective for high volume
Various printing mediums
How to Choose
When deciding whether to use digital printing or offset printing it is important to consider your quantity, the quality you are looking for, the turnaround time, and the amount of creativity involved in the project. As with most things there are advantages and disadvantages to each technology but having a general understanding of digital printing and offset printing helps you determine which technology you should use and helps you better understand commercial printing as a whole. Commercial printing technology has changed drastically over the years and when the new technology is combined with traditional methods, businesses are able to see a cost effective and effecient result.
