There has been a massive increase in the use of digital printing over the traditional litho and other printing methods. It is not always easy to decide which process will suit your job, so Wotton Printers have listed some different points to take into consideration.
What’s the difference?
With Litho printing the image is burned onto a plate and then transferred from the place onto a rubber blanket. Lastly, it is printed onto the paper.
Alternatively, Digital printing cuts out a lot of the steps used in litho and other methods. The image being used goes straight from the computer to the page. There are no plates required for this method, meaning there is less ink, paper and chemicals wasted.
Quality
Litho printing actually uses Pantone® ink, whereas Digital printing simulates the colours using a four colour matching process. That’s why we at Wotton Printers use high-end printing presses because they have the best colour matching systems, making it easier to match special ink colours.
Turnaround time
Litho printing involves a long set-up, finishing and drying time, meaning that it can take several days to complete your job and deliver it. On the other hand, Digital printing can offer an extremely quick turnaround time. If it is needed, your job can be delivered the very next day after the artwork is supplied.
Proofing
Digital printing offers accurate proofing, this is because you see an actual sample of the printed piece. On the other hand, Litho proofs can be very expensive because they involve setting up the press and making plates to create a proof before actually printing the final job.
With Litho printing, there is a fairly large cost incurred during the set-up; i.e. running the spare materials and making the plates to ensure all of the inks are in register before you can actually run the job. Proofing, to check the colours and the finish also adds to the final cost. Although the costs are offset by lower price-per-copy for larger print runs that include several thousand copies, they have to be taken into account and included in the overall price of your job.
Digital printing produces the full effect of colour printing without the downfall of the set-up time and costs, this means that there is no print run or initial cost incurred before the job actually goes to print. Meaning that it is very easy to create custom digitally printed materials with different names, numbers and addresses.
All in all, no matter what type of printing you choose, here at Wotton Printers can accommodate your every need. Give us a call today to discuss your needs and requirements and we will tailor our services to best suit you.