Digital versus Offset

What's the difference between digital printing and offset printing?  Well, besides being done on different machines, the processes are quite different.  However, digital quality seems to be catching up.

"Recently I showed a client two samples of printing done using the two processes," Jennifer Beaty said. "He really had a hard time telling the difference between the two."

Jennifer is the managing partner of Executive Press, a full-service printing and direct-mail company based in Richardson, Texas. Executive Press provides both digital and offset services to their customers.

"We really have both processes because they are needed in different situations," Jennifer continued.  "smaller quantities and tighter deadlines are a better fit for digital and larger format and special treatments, such as full-bleed covers, are better when done on an offset press."

While the final products are produced on different machines, the design and file preparation is becoming more alike.  As we talked about in an earlier post, digital computer files are now used to produce plates for offset presses.  In the digital printing version, files go straight to the digital press for production.

A short list of reasons to use offset printing:

• When colors of inks have to match another project.
• Oversized or full-bleed projects like a folder or special cover.
• Large runs of the final product, usually over 1,000 copies.

A similar list for digitally printed projects:

• Shorter runs (as few as 10).
• Short deadlines and quick turnaround.
• When similar projects have also been done digitally so as to match one another.

For more information on when and how to choose digital versus offset printing, please call Jennifer or the team at Executive Press at 214-217-7000 or visit their website.

The Executive Pressman