Wanneer kiezen voor digitaal versus offsetdruk?
When to choose digital vs offset printing…? It’s not a fight, but a choice according your requirements project. Both technologies has pros and cons, let’s take a look a these two printing methods, their differences, and where it makes sense to prefer a method on another one for your next printing project.
When to choose Offset Printing?
When to Choose Digital vs Offset Printing ?
Offset printing technology uses plates (Computer-To-Plate Technology), usually made from aluminum, which are used to transfer an image onto a rubber “blanket”, and then rolling that image onto a sheet of paper. The rubber allows surfaces that are not completely smooth, like certain kinds of paper, to be printed extremely accurately. It’s called offset because the ink is not transferred directly onto the paper. This method provides accurate color reproduction, and crisp, clean professional looking printing.
When to choose Digital Printing?
When to Choose Digital vs Offset Printing ?
Digital printing doesn’t use plates or rubber sheet. The ink or toner is applied directly to the paper. Digital printing is then computerized reproduction method in which your chosen electronic file is printed directly to the printing surface by the machine. The most popular methods of digital printing include inkjet or laser printers that deposit pigment or toner onto a wide variety of substrates including paper, photo paper, canvas, and other materials.
Which method to choose?
Let’s take a look at the important factors to be considered when choosing a print method:
- Quantity: Offset is the best solution for high quantity runs. Considering that this printing method has more starting costs, the price per unit will be important for short runs than digital. We recommend at least 500 copies for books printed in offset.
- Production lead time: Depending on the requested need date, you will need to take into account that offset printing is more longer than digital printing. If you require to print in a short delay, digital printing is your best solution.
- Size: Offset presses allows larger printed pieces where digitally printed pieces have size and paper stock constraints.
- Color: If your printing job for example requires exact Pantone matching color, Offset will be the safest method. If in the opposite, some room in matching color is acceptable, digital printing will be an effective method.
- Customization: Digital printing will give you the wider flexibility for customizing print pieces while it will be not possible in Offset printing.
- Proofing: For both methods, the use of PDFs proofs, tend to be sufficient. In digital printing certainly, but for offset printing, sometimes, you will need to print wet proofs or Epson proofs to validate the production. These proofs are costly but often necessary.
In short summary
Offset Printing
- Best for large quantity runs
- Achieves a higher quality finish than most digital printing
- Lower unit cost as quantity increases
- Accurate Pantone (PMS) color matching
- Larger format size pieces
- More time consuming/ involved setup process
- Expensive proofing process
- Hard to make last minute changes
Digital Printing
- Quick production lead time
- Allows artwork to be changed quickly if needed
- Cheap low volume printing
- Ability for customized pieces
- Easy proofing
- Pantone (PMS) color matching not accurate
- More expensive in larger runs
- May produce a slightly inferior quality to Offset
- Good for black ans white books
- Limited Size
How will you print your next project after considering all of these specifications ?
When taking on a printing project, you will need to answer all these questions ( what quantity do I need? when do I need these by? Is my artwork variable or likely to change at the last minute? These questions can save you a lot of hassle and cost down.
To help you answer all this questions, please use our form to full in all the specifications of your project and get your price as soon as possible.
If you still have questions, or need additional information, our team is at your service and ready to help you. Contact Printing seytek now !