Many people are not familiar with the basic uses and advantages of digital printing, or even what digital printing is. In a past blog post, we have covered specifically what digital printing is in great detail, but I will go over a quick recap now before I get to what digital printing can do for you.
What is Digital and Offset Printing?
To start off, there are two main forms of printing used today, digital printing and conventional (offset) printing. Digital printing is the process of printing a digital image onto paper in a very similar way a home printer would. Offset printing is when inked plates are pressed into a soft roller, and then the roller is applied to the print surface in order to transfer the final image. Each type has their advantages and disadvantages, however I will now focus on why digital printing may be right for you.
Digital Printing Pros
Digital printing has distinct advantages over offset printing. These advantages include:
- Cheaper prices for short-runs (0-500 copies)
- Fast turnaround time (The printing process is faster)
- Ability to receive accurate proofs for little or no cost
- Each copy can be personalized (offset prints are all exact copies)
A seasoned Replica Printing Services customer would notice that the advantages of digital printing are the types of qualities we emphasize in our business. At Replica, we hone in on same day/next day printing, affordable short run prices and we provide proofs before any large scale printing so you know exactly what print you will be receiving. As a digital printer, these are the things we are built to provide the customer.
Why Digital Printing Is A Greener Way To Print
The other major advantage of digital printing is that it is inherently a greener way to print, which can be seen in a multitude of ways.
- Digital printers emit little to no VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)
- Digital printers do not require the chemical cleaning agents that offset printers do
- Digital printers are so safe that they can be used in office settings without the application of powerful ventilation systems that offset printers require
Furthermore, the ability for digital printers to print affordable short-runs makes them green as well. In the past, companies would only print large quantities of material because it was what was economically viable. Now that short-run prints are possible, companies have the flexibility to target a smaller amount of consumers. This cuts down pollution in multiple areas such as the power that is saved when less material is printed in addition to consumers wasting less material overall due to the reduction in mass printed material.
Why Offset Printing Might Be For You
So it can certainly be said that digital printing has its advantages in various areas, but that does not always mean it is what is right for each and every customer. While digital printing is cheaper for short-run prints, it is more expensive per page than offset printing. The reason it is cheaper in short-run prints is that there is no barrier to entry as there is for offset printing. When using offset printing, there is a large initial cost of creating the custom plates that will be used for the job, however if it is a long-run print then offset prints would still be cheaper due to the lower cost per page amount. Beyond the pricing for long-run prints, offset printing has another advantage; it can still have a higher print quality than digital prints. With the great technological development of digital printing in recent history, the quality disparity between digital printing and offset printing is small. For many prints, it would take a trained eye to decipher what type of printer was used to print a particular piece of material. However, as it pertains to certain professions, it may be imperative to gain the highest quality print for projects. For this to be achieved, a good offset printer with a good team will produce higher quality prints compared to a digital printer.
Conclusion
At Replica we understand that digital printing is not for everyone. However, we do believe that it is applicable for the majority of print jobs. If you are looking to print a short-run project, get easy and accurate proofs, receive your prints quickly, or even if you are just looking for a printer with a minimal environmental impact, then digital printing is probably right for you. At Replica we can accomplish all of these things with you during your printing process and we hope you choose us for any of your digital printing needs.