Litho Printing Vs Digital Printing
Posted: Thursday, July 30, 2009
by Joe Calvin-Thomas
Just Keyrings
In the past, conventional colour printing was always produced using the litho process, which involves making and setting up four plates on a large press. In the old days the first part of the process involved making films of the artwork, which were then exposed in a print-down frame to produce plates, which then had to be positioned in turn on the press until they were all in exactly the same position on the press (in-register). This process was time consuming and therefore relatively expensive.
However, this setting-up process is still quite expensive when compared to digital print.
The digital method involves toner, rather than ink and because its a push button process, the set-up costs are very low. In its early days, digital print suffered from low quality - especially when reproducing tints and large uniform solid areas of colour - but the best modern digital presses can produce work almost indistinguishable from litho print to the average customer. Some digital presses can also produce work on gloss paper, a feature the older models struggled with. Finishing can also be achieved on-line so that the work can emerge from the delivery end of the machine already creased, perforated or stapled.Individual sheets can also be personalised as they are printed with a sequential number, name or address.The work produced by digital presses can sometimes give problems with additional processes like spot ultra violet lamination or foil blocking. Also, it usually isn't a good idea to overprint digitally printed letterheads and other materials with a photocopier or a laser printer because the toner can re-melt and cause all sorts of problems - including serious damage to the machine!
Internationally there have already been huge changes in the balance of power between digital and litho printers - a trend that I have seen reflected here in Cardiff and South Wales. It perhaps won't be too many years before digital printing technologies improve so much that they are comparable with litho.
Litho is always likely to have its place though in being unbeatable on cost when producing long runs.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please get in touch with Lighthouse Printing in Cardiff, South Wales.
Click Printing Cardiff For More Info
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