Which Method of Printing Do You Need; Offset or Digital?

Offset and digital printing methods are the two standards in the printing industry. Between them, they cover nearly every printing need. Which to choose though, depends upon what you want, and when you want it. A better understanding of each technique will help you decide.

Offset Printing

How it works: Offset printing is also called lithography, and is the most commonly used printing method for high volume commercial products. The design is burned onto a special plate and then transferred onto a rubber sheet. From the rubber sheet it is placed upon the printing surface. The process works by using the principles of repulsion between water and oil and it is particularly good for keeping the non-printed areas free of ink.

Advantages:
1. You can use offset printing on a variety of surfaces – paper, wood, cloth, and vinyl.
2. You get higher quality images, better resolution and no streaks or spots.
3. The more your make the less it costs per print.

Disadvantages:
1. Offset printing jobs take more time because a plate must be made first.
2. More materials are used in offset printing, so it isn’t as ecologically sound.

Digital Printing

How it works: Digital printing, on the commercial scale, is very similar to the process you use when you print something at home. There are no plates to make, nor do you need to run through specialized machines to achieve a full color image. The higher the quality of the image you use, the better the end result. The ink is sprayed onto the display surface and can be fused to it with specific technologies.

Advantages:
1. Digital printing is faster than offset because no plates are required.
2. For small runs, digital is much cheaper.
3. Images can come from a variety of sources.
4. A basic machine can print up to 1,000 copies in an hour.

Disadvantages:
1. Digital printing is only cost effective for relatively small batches; up to about 1,000 copies.
2. For color accuracy, you can only print digitally on light or white surfaces.
3. The quality of the final product is directly related to the quality of the original

You Can Choose when Printing Online

Most online printing services offer both offset and digital printing. Which you choose will depend on a number of variables.
1. Speed – offset printing will take longer than digital.
2. Cost – if you need a great many copies of something, then offset printing will cost less at some point. For small batches, digital will be the better choice.
3. Quantity – Since offset printing takes so much set up and initial effort, small batches make no sense. On the other hand, it is a perfect situation if you want digital printing.
4. Size – Digital printers are usually more limited in the size they can make than offset printers, but it is not a hard and fast rule.

Most businesses will end up using a combination of digital and offset printing for their printed materials. When it comes time to decide about a specific project, you now have the data you need to make an informed choice.