What makes digital printing services unique?

Written by Brandon Cornett | © 2010

Question: “I see a lot of printing companies advertise the fact that they have digital printing technology. What does this mean, and is there some kind of advantage to it? How do digital printing services work?”

When a company says that they have digital printing, they are trying to distinguish it from offset printing. There’s a big difference between these two techniques. And it may or may not be an advantage to you, depending on what your printing goals are. This will make more sense if we define the technology we’re talking about here:

Offset Printing — This is when the printer transfers your design / artwork onto a printing plate. The plate is then used to transfer the design onto the paper. This technique offers the best color consistency and image clarity. Offset printing is usually (but not always) reserved for larger print jobs, as opposed to “short-run” jobs. With large jobs, it’s generally more affordable than its digital counterpart.

Digital Printing — There are no plates used with this technique. Instead, an electronic version of your design / artwork is sent to the printing machine. This method allows the company to offer “web-to-print” services, where a customer’s file is uploaded through the website and sent to the digital printer. Color and image quality are not as good as offset printing, but there is more flexibility for variable data and other customization techniques. Digital printing is generally used for shorter runs.

So when a company advertises the fact that it has digital printing services, it might be a benefit for you — or it might not. It depends on your project requirements, the size of your print run, and the importance of image quality. The only real benefit of digital printing (for the customer) is the short-run capability. With offset printing, you normally have to place a larger order to meet the printer’s minimum requirements. Digital printing, on the other hand, allows the customer to place smaller orders when needed.

Aside from that, it’s really the end-product that matters most to customers. Does the postcard or brochure look good when it’s printed? Is the job done correctly? How was the customer service? Those are the most important things, from a customer’s perspective.

I hope this gives you a better idea of what digital printing services are all about. Good luck.