4 Advantages of Digital Printing
Like virtually every other aspect of our lives, printing has not only gone digital, it’s thriving there. With more manufacturers and full-scale production of digital tabletop printers than ever, it’s no wonder that older technology such as flexographic presses that use polymer plates are becoming outdated. And there is a reason why digital printing continues to be the most popular printing method for a myriad of projects.
From a general standpoint, digital presses function very similar to a desktop printer. Digital presses use dots of ink to recreate an image from a digital file. However, as this technology is perfected, digital printing produces high-quality projects at a lower cost. This article discusses four of the largest advantages to digital printing.
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Low Cost with High Value
Believe it or not, there was a time in our recent history when offset printing ruled the world, and only large companies could afford it. Offset printing requires customized plates to be made, and of course, the cost of these plates (along with associated setup fees) were passed along to the consumer. With the arrival of digital printing, those days are fading.
Digital printing doesn’t require the same outdated hardware and setup fees are becoming a thing of the past. This allows printers to print as few materials as needed without sacrificing a large initial fee, and reap the benefits of avoiding obsolete inventory, faster turnaround times, and eliminating several steps between concepts and prototypes.
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Quick Turnaround
Although offset printing is still around and continues to offer the highest quality, advances in the world of digital printing continue to gain ground in this area. And truth be told, it takes a trained eye to notice any differences between a product from an offset printer and that of a digital printer. With this minimal disparity, the speed at which you can print using digital over offset makes the former a much better option for a quick turnaround.
Also, as digital printers don’t require plates (or the added time and cost of having those plates produced and changed), a print job with digital printers goes much quicker. They allow for quick, short print runs that aren’t possible with offset printers.
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Added Versatility & More Options
One of the greatest benefits of digital printing is that it allows creators to be very versatile with their projects. Digital printers have large media ranges and can support printing on over 3,000 certified substrates, including metallics, darks and synthetics.
Digital printers also offer advanced printing techniques, such as foil stamps, die cuts, and UV and aqueous finishes. Additionally, materials such as thin paper, fabric or even ceramics can be used as a printing backdrop. This notion was nonexistent with offset printing.
With so many options, digital printers allow designers to be versatile in their designs and adapt to consumer desires without sacrificing quality or time.
- Go Digital, Go Green
While digital printing offers designers more options, quick turnaround times and lower costs, it also eliminates the pre-press time and materials that come with offset printing. There are no screens, emulsion or extra solvents used in the printing process. Moreover, as digital printing only ejects ink to the parts to be printed, it reduces ink waste as well as the cleaning process once the job is complete.
For many printing jobs, offset printing is still a beneficial option for those that can afford it. However, as technology in digital printing advances, consumers to continue to expect the quality of digital printing to increase and the price to decrease. For those that seek a printing option that is quick, offer a high value, provide more design options and are environmentally conscious, digital printing is the way to go.
