Digital Printing Vs. Offset Printing

Regardless if digital or offset, both types of printing results in extremely high in quality print products, making it suitable for any type of professional purposes needed. UV curing systems can be used in both digital and offset printing to increase print quality and maximize productivity and profitability. However, there are other factors that make customers choose one over, and one of this is the capacity of the print project and functions to be used for every project requirement. When it comes to volume, the difference between offset printing and digital printing is that digital printing is ideal for short-run printing, while the offset is better suited for bulk printing.

Aside from this, According to Red Deer printing Company, their customers are considering other differences between offset printing versus digital printing like the quality of colors and sizes of paper sheets that differ. In this article, details about these alterations will be further discussed especially for print buying.

The opposing technologies used in offset printing versus digital printing

Technologically, the difference between these two modes of printing is on how the images are transferred in the paper. This variance affects the economic cost of running these technologies, and this difference can affect the printing customer.

Offset printing set-up is more time-consuming and expensive, unlike digital printing. The imprinted metal plates are used, which can be applied to ink on a sheet of paper. Each of the metal plates, depending on the color to be used, needs to be etched and then applied to the rollers that transfer the ink to the paper. Afterward, the press has to do some “warm-ups” by running it on scrap paper until the plates are properly inked.

Meanwhile, digital printing uses “drums” or electrostatic rollers to apply toner to the paper. The drums, one per color being printed, have a toner density, using an electrostatic charge to attract the toner. The toner is then applied and fused to the sheet, then passed through a high-heat unit to the paper.

From here, digital printing can make an easy printout of one sheet of paper or a copy of a booklet, doing a minimal setup. On the other hand, offset printing requires substantial setup time and material. Economically, the ink and each paper sheet from an offset press is less expensive than that of a digital press, but you will feel the convenience and savings if the print job is done at a high enough volume.

Aside from the number of sheets, the number of copies also matters. Offset only makes sense if making a few thousand copies of the same sheets. That is why offset can do short-run printing despite the hassles produced by setting it up. This kind of printing can produce bulk sheets because each sheet would require its own plate to be made.

So, depending on what type of business you have, each of these printing has its own advantages. If you have a venture that needs frequent, quick, and constantly changing print content, digital printing should be the one to use. On the other hand, offset printing companies that print in bulk while not changing their content opt for offset printing.

Other differences between offset printing versus digital printing

These are other considerations you have when shopping around for printing services.

The first of these is the size of the paper sheet. Digital printing typically runs smaller sheet sizes, usually 19” sheets going up to 29”. On the other hand, offset printing typically runs presses between 29” and 40” on paper sheets. Offset allows for some printable purposes that cannot be done on smaller sheets, such as posters, books requiring large covers, and larger kinds of brochures.

When dimensional print size is important while the print volume is not needed, customers frequently rely on digital wide-format presses, as long as they are for short-run printing. However, some wide-format printing cases cannot be done using digital wide-format presses, such as certain kinds of printing surfaces like packaging material and plastics.

The second difference is the color illustration. Different printing modes also offer somewhat different color clarifications and the ability to control how colors are applied to a page. Offset provides some excellent color controls compared to digital printing. This aspect is important, especially for large corporate brands, which profit from consistency in colors.

Finally, another difference is that digital presses are significantly cheaper and recommended for fast-turnaround projects. Digital printing offers implausible reversal times because of its knowingly smaller setup time. This type of printing provides same-day and next-day printing much more proficiently and cheaply than offset printing.

Digital printing and offset printing are two popular methods used in the printing industry, each with its own advantages and ideal applications. Here's a comparison to help you understand the differences and determine which method might be best for your needs: