What Is Offset Printing –
Does It Work like Digital Printing?
Modern printing companies give you access to multiple printing techniques, such as offset printing and digital printing. Both digital and offset printing allow you to create business forms, pictures, and documents.
Offset printing represents a more traditional way to handle a print job. Many customers also find it a more economical option. Find out more about offset printing technology with our team at KDM. Just contact us at (513) 769-3500 to get started.
What Is Offset Printing■
Advantages of Offset Printing
Offset printing (or offset lithography) uses printing plates and ink to create pictures and documents. An offset press uses metal plates, typically made of aluminum. The offset process gives customers tremendous control over the final product.
Better Image Quality
This form of printing provides you with clean type and sharp images. Offset inks typically do not develop spots or streaks during printing. Customers turn to this form of printing when they want guaranteed reliability for image quality.
Color Fidelity
Interested in personalizing the colors in your print project? Offset printers mix custom ink colors, providing you with the specific look you want. The printing company even has access to Pantone colors, broadening your options.
Works with a Variety of Stocks
Working with an offset press gives you the freedom to print on different kinds of stock without worrying about the end result. This form of printing provides great results on nearly all materials.
Cost Efficiency
Finally, offset printing generally costs less in the long run if you have large volume jobs. You face a higher up-front investment with this form of printing, however.
What Is Digital Printing■
Advantages of Digital Printing
Have you printed a PDF file from your computer with your home system? If so, you’ve taken part in digital printing. Any printing carried out from an electronic file represents a kind of digital print.
Digital printing often uses a digital printer or laser printers, which operate without the use of plates.
Faster Turnaround
Offset printing requires you to wait for the production of plates. Digital presses, on the other hand, need only a printer to work. Many customers choose to save time with this form of printing for a single print job.
More Consistency
Digital printing produces identical prints by avoiding imbalances between ink and water that can occur with the etched metal plates associated with offset printing.
Easy Adjustments
As you can imagine, it’s challenging to make changes to a completed metal plate on an offset printing press. On the other hand, it’s easy to make a few adjustments to a computer file if you focus on digital printing. In many cases, you can look at a printed sample from a digital press and make adjustments before completing an entire run.
Offset Printing vs. Digital Printing:
Point by Point Comparison■
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OFFSET AND
DIGITAL PRINTING?
■ Cost: Offset printing generally saves you money on long-run jobs. Digital printing methods reduce costs for small jobs.
■ Time: Offset options take much more time than digital prints.
■ Color: Offset presses use liquid ink to match colors exactly, making it the preferred choice if your project requires specific color choices.
■ Project Size: Offset printing equipment handles large jobs better than digital printing presses in many situation.
Understand the Offset Printing
Process■
WANT TO FIND OUT HOW OFFSET PRINTING WORKS?
Offset printers place ink directly onto a metal plate to begin the process. Printers then transfer the ink to a rubber blanket before rolling the ink onto paper. The printing surface of the metal never comes directly in contact with the paper, which is why we use the term “offset” to describe this printing procedure.
How to Choose the Right Printing
Option■
PRINTING OPTIONS
We’ve discussed offset and digital printing in detail. Both of these printing processes have unique benefits. Before you decide on a printing option, we recommend considering the requirements for the job you want to run.
Are you interested in creating marketing materials that you plan to update semi-regularly to keep up with changes in your company? In this situation, digital printing represents the best choice to handle your needs.
However, if you want to create business documents in unique colors and significant quantities, offset options offer you more benefits with fewer drawbacks. Web presses often offer customers multiple printing options, allowing you to select the choice that benefits your business the most.
Offset Presses Provide You with
Quality Printing■
QUALITY PRINTING
Looking for quality printing work with unique colors? Working with an offset printer provides you with the options to handle this kind of job. The offset process requires an investment in time and money on the front-end, but offset printers work at high speeds once they have their plates created and prepped.
Offset presses give you the option to print on most kinds of paper and help you feel confident that you’ll get high color fidelity with great image quality for a reasonable price.
Offset Print Your Products with Us■
Our team at KDM handles your offset printing and digital printing needs. We have decades of experience in the printing industry, enabling us to assess your needs and develop a plan to handle your printing run. We have six manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Georgia, and Tennessee to address your supply chain needs. Find out more about our services when you call (513) 769-3500.
Print Portfolio■
