Digital, Offset or Large Format - What are your options?
Narrowing our options
What is the final product?
What is the size of our piece?
What is our print quantity?
What paper do we like?
What are the print requirements?
Number of colors
Photographic reproductions
Amount of ink coverage
Type and number of finishing operations
What is the final product?
Invitation sets
Stationery
Flat sheet or single sheets
Brochures
Booklets
What is our print quantity?
Single event use item i.e. invitation set
Multi user item small quantity with many versions i.e. business cards
Multi user item large quantity with single version i.e. letterheads
Multi user item with static or variable information i.e. sales brochure
Multi facility and multi user item i.e. holiday card
What is the size of our piece?
Can this piece conform to a standard size?
Economical printing size ranges
Digital Printing
8-1/2 x 11 to 12 x 18
Offset Lithography
Sheet fed 5 x 7 to 28 x 40
Web fed 8-1/2 x 11 to 22-1/2 x 35
Large Format Printing
18 x 24 to 60 x 120 and larger
Printing considerations & restraints
Number of ink colors
Photographic reproduction quality
Ink coverage i.e. large solids or straight type
Sheet to sheet registration
Type and number of finishing operations
Type of binding to be used
Digital Printing
First shown in 1993
Uses electrophotography technology which transfers digital image from imaging drum to a blanket to the paper.
Heat bonds the image to the paper.
Can print variable images (each sheet is different) as compared to static images when printing offset.