Filed under: printing green | Tags: Add new tag, cary printing, CMYK, digital, green, offset printing, PMS, quality, toner
The craft of printing is more technologically advanced than ever before. Printing presses utilize computer driven components to achieve quality and consistency never seen before.
Along with the improvements to offset printing presses, there have also been improvements made to digital printing equipment. What process should be used then, and how does one determine the best method for their project? Before we answer that, we will summarize the two processes.
Traditional offset printing uses vegetable-based liquid ink that is transferred onto a metal plate that has the image to be printed burned onto it through a process very similar to photographic developing. Through the use of the four basic inks, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK), any full-color image can be attained and reproduced through printing. Offset printing also can utilize special mixed inks called PMS inks. These colors are traditionally used for typefaces and corporate logos. Cary Printing has the capability of printing multi-colored projects on our offset presses.
Digital printing utilizes toner-based inks similar to laser printers. Like offset CMYK inks, digital printing utilizes the same CMYK colors in toner ink rather than liquid ink. The image is transferred onto the paper through the use of an electrostatic charge and then fused with heat. Just like offset printing, any image can be achieved through the CMYK process.Cary Printing also has the capability of using enhanced toners as a fifth color which provides further ranges of colors.
While both of these printing processes are similar, the main differences surround “when” to use one or the other. Offset printing is typically used for higher quantity press runs of the same image while digital printing is best suited for short-run jobs with a faster turnaround on delivery. Whatever your need, Cary Printing can provide the highest quality printing either offset or digital.
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Your final paragraph answers a question I have had for the longest time. No one has ever explained to me when to use these processes, which is very interesting as that is the main difference in the two.
Comment by Digital Printer November 24, 2008 @ 11:08 pm