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

Five Printing Terms You Need to Know

Remember vocabulary tests in school? While this won't be a test, it is importnat in business to have a broad and varied vocabulary. It helps you communicate.

A good person to be communicating with clearly is your print service provider. So today we are talking about print terminology that is valuable to know.

Let's pick five terms to become familiar with:

1. PDF
2. Digital printing
3. Offset printing
4. Press proof
5. Green printing

A PDF is a software program/product developed by Adobe that allows for a piece that is to be printed to be packaged for ease of production. Most desktop computers have the program and many printers can work directly from these files to finished printed product easily.

Digital printing is imaging done by a printing machine (press) using laser, inkjet or solid-ink technology to make the images. Xerography is a form of digital printing.

Offset printing is traditional printing that is done on a printing press and uses plates and image-transfer processes. Used primarily for large run jobs and specialty projects (catalogs, for example).

A press proof is a review of the printed project as it comes off the press during it's initial run. Ink color and density and image quality can all be judged at this time and corrections made.

Green printing is a broad term that encompasses what a printing service provider does in terms of using environmentally safe products and processes. Soy inks, recycled papers and careful recovery and use of solvents are all a part of being a green printer.

For more information, please visit www.executivepress.com. Or call us at 214-217-7000.

The Executive Pressman

Digital Press

The final piece of a printing capability in any effective print shop operation is a digital press.

Take for example our digital press, this Canon machine.

"With this machine we can do 4-color quantities of your project as small as one copy," Tom Sadler said. Tom is President and an owner of Executive Press.

"This press adds just the right element to our mix of machines and capabilities,"Tom continued.

The machine was added to the operation at the request of a client who did a large-volume, product manual printing on a regular basis. Since then, Tom said, its capabilities have been applied to work done for other clients.

"Short run, long run and specialized digital work really shines on this machine, Tom added.

When shopping for a printing look to see the breadth of their capabilities and if digital is a part of the mix.

The Executive Pressman

Digital Printing Made Understandable

Digital printing is printing using techniques developed for computer printers such as inkjet or laser printers.

Many graphic projects begin with analog sources such as 35mm slides, transparencies or reflective art (photographs, original artwork). To produce a digital image, these elements are converted to digital files that can be manipulated on a computer system.

Digital printing differs from other types of printing (lithography, flexography, gravure, and letterpress) in these ways:

• Every print can be different, because printing plates are not required.
• There is less waste of chemicals and paper,because there is no need to check for registration and position during the actual printing.
• The ink or toner does not permeate the surface it is being printed on, as do conventional inks.

Because there is less initial setup, digital is useful for rapid prototyping, and cost effective for small print runs.

Digital printing is used for personalized printing and print-on-demand (POD) systems. This is ideal for short run books of varying page quantities and binding.

The Executive

Thanks to Wikipedia for some background information used here