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The Difference Between Digital Printing and Offset Printing

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Nieman Printing
The Difference Between Digital Printing and Offset Printing

When looking to grow a business, print ads, banners, direct mailers and more are all very important aspects of a successful marketing plan.  Printing may seem like the same process no matter what you are having printed, but there are two main types of printing and choosing the right one for your project will be very important to keeping costs appropriate for your project as well as getting the correct materials and ink that you want.  In this article we will discuss what digital and offset printing are, and which types of projects make sense for each one.

 

What is Offset Printing?

Offset Printing uses plates which are used to transfer an image onto rubber, and then rolling that image onto a sheet of paper.  It is called offset printing because the ink is not transferred directly onto the paper, but onto the rubber blanket.  Offset Printing is known to be very efficient once set up, so it is usually the ideal choice for large projects that will require many copies of the same image to be printed.  Offset printing also provides extremely crisp and accurate color reproduction for a very professional looking final product.

Advantage of Offset Printing

  • Large quantities can be printed efficiently
  • The more you print, the cheaper the price per print
  • Large variety of paper types can be used
  • Great color reproduction and high quality image

What is Digital Printing?

Digital Printing does not use plates in the printing process like offset printing does, instead it uses laser printers or larger printers that use liquid inks.  Digital printing is ideal when a smaller number of copies of an item are needed.  Digital printing is also ideal when each piece needs a unique name, code or other item that changes, this printing process is known as variable data printing and can only be done effectively with digital printing.  While offset printing has a fantastic image quality, most businesses don't need hundreds of copies of their projects which makes digital printing ideal for most business printing. 

Advantage of Digital Printing

  • Lower cost for smaller amount of prints
  • Print only the amount you need, on demand
  • Lower minimum quantities of prints to order from most providers
  • Variable data printing is available with digital printing

While a lot of business has now moved online, print is still extremely important for growing a business.  Sending direct mail, printing large sales banners, and more are all printing options that are vital for a balanced marketing strategy.  Looking for printing services may seem difficult or overwhelming at first, but with the knowledge of whether you will need offset printing services or digital printing services will help you to choose the correct option and find the company that can provide those services effectively for your business.
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