Digital vs. Offset Printing: Which is right for your project.

The growth of digital printing technology has brought technical advancements, more options, and exciting new features to today’s commercial printing. It has also brought some confusion. An understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of digital printing and how those compare to traditional offset printing is critical in making the right choice. At Spectrum, we offer both digital and offset printing services. We can help you make the right choice for your project.

Offset Printing is Most Common

Offset printing is the most common high volume commercial printing technology. In offset printing, the desired print image is burned onto a plate and is then transferred (or offset) from the plate to a rubber blanket, and then to the printing surface. The lithographic process is based on the repulsion of oil and water. The image to be printed gets ink from ink rollers, while the non printing area attracts a film of water, keeping the non printing areas ink-free.

Digital Printing Eliminates Mechanical Steps

Digital printing eliminates many of the mechanical steps required for conventional printing, including making films and color proofs, manually stripping the pieces together and making plates. So which is better? Well, that depends.

Advantages of Digital

Shorter turnaround. Many projects can be completed in 24 to 48 hours. Perfect for short print runs under 2000. Every print is the same. More accurate counts, less waste and fewer variations, due to not having to balance ink and water during press run. Cheaper low volume printing. While the unit cost of each piece may be higher than with offset printing, when setup costs are included, digital printing provides lower per unit costs for very small print runs. Variable Data Printing is a form of customizable digital printing. Using information from a database or external file, text and graphics can be changed on each piece without stopping or slowing down the press. For example, personalized letters can be printed with a different name and address on each letter. Variable data printing is used primarily for direct marketing, customer relationship development and advertising.

Advantages of Offset

High image quality. More economical for print runs over 1000. Works on a wider variety of paper stocks. The unit cost goes down dramatically as the quantity goes up. Quality and cost-effectiveness in high volume jobs. While today’s digital presses are close to the cost/benefit ratio of offset for high quality work, they are not yet able to compete with the volume an offset press can produce. Our modern offset presses use computer-to-plate systems as opposed to the older computer-to-film work flows, further increasing quality.

Still Not Sure Which is Right? Use this checklist to help decide:

Digital printing is very cost efficient, especially for short runs (1000 or less) and
when project deadlines are tight. It is most suitable for high quality color printing
of sell sheets, brochures, newsletters, post cards, program books, CD-DVD inserts
and letterheads on gloss and matte stocks. In most cases, digital print jobs can
be turned around in 24 to 48 hours.

Quantity

Offset printing has a front-end cost load. Short runs may have a high unit cost. But as quantities increase, the unit cost goes down with offset printing. Short runs (under 1000) can be much more cost effective with digital printing; while larger quantities are likely to have a lower unit cost with offset printing.

Printing medium

Do you need or want a special paper, finish or unusual printing surface, or unique size? The options are increasing continually for digital, but offset printing still offers the most flexibility.

Color

Digital presses use four-color process printing. If you need only black ink or one or two ink colors, offset printing may offer a more cost-effective solution. If you need four-color printing, digital may offer advantages in lower up-front costs.

More on color

If you’re planning to print using the Pantone® Matching System, offset printing will give you the best match, since it uses actual Pantone® ink. Digital printing simulates the color using a four-color matching process, so some digital printers may offer less accurate color matching on projects.

Turnaround

If you need it fast, digital usually offers quicker delivery.

Proofing

Digital offers accurate proofs since you see an actual sample of the printed piece. Accurate color proofing for offset printing can be expensive.

Customization

Without question, digital printing offers the most affordable way to customize marketing materials, direct mail pieces, letters, etc.