Should you need materials printing but cannot select between using a digital printing company or choosing an offset litho printing company, hopefully this short, informative article will construct the benefits and drawbacks of both printing methods to enable you to reach an informed decision.
To being with let's consider offset printing. Offset lithography is probably the most popular approach to create high-volume printing. Lithographic print functions by burning the picture you need printed onto a plate then off-setting from that onto a rubber blanket and lastly onto the printing surface. Offset technology is founded on the theory that oil and water don't mix and it's also an ideal means for generating clear and premium quality images.
Secondly let's examine digital print. Digital printing companies have become ever more popular as this becomes an essential printing technique. The main benefit of digital printing is the fact is saves time and provides a shorter turnaround as there's no requirement to produce the plates, films and colour proofs.
Another advantage of this printing technique is that there's no variation between prints - every print is identical -because you haven't needed to make use of rollers and plates to produce the graphic.
Direct mail companies are big users of digital print services because they assist them to print exact copies of letters and leaflets with the additional benefit of being capable to customise each one, for instance using the recipient's name. The printing process isn't slowed up with this personalisation as details are fed to the press from an outside file like a database.
Even though there are numerous benefits to using digital printing, it is additionally worth looking at the disadvantages of this print method to help you better comprehend the type of service that you require.
The primary drawback to using digital print instead of litho print is the quality isn't as high. It likewise has restrictions with regards to the printable surfaces you can use, whereas lithographic print can be used on a variety of diverse surfaces including plastic, cloth, metal and wood.
Should you be looking for short print runs then digital printing will give you the least expensive answer since there is basically no set-up involved, whereas offset printing offers better value for high quantity print runs as the cost per unit decreases.
In summary, when you need flyers or business cards printing you'd be better with a digital print company. However, when you need larger amounts of high-quality print, or printing onto a surface other than paper, offset printing will provide the best solution.