Printing is one of the most important steps in creating any printed product. Various printing techniques can be used to create different effects, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. This blog post will look at five types of printing techniques so you can choose the best option for your next print project.
- Offset Lithography
Offset lithography, also referred to as offset printing or litho, is a widely common technique for mass-production printing. It uses printing plates, typically composed of aluminum, and each contains an image of the text or other content that must be printed.
After being transferred (offset) onto rollers or rubber blankets, these plates are placed onto the print media, which can be any paper. The metal plates have a longer lifespan because the print material isn’t in contact with them. Additionally, offset lithography can be employed on any media with rough surfaces because of the flexible material of the rollers or rubber blankets.
Offset lithography can be used for small or large-volume print jobs and is excellent at producing consistently high-quality images. Additionally, it is a flexible option because it can print on any flat surface, smooth like paper or rough like canvas.
- Digital Printing
The digital printing category includes modern printing techniques like inkjet and laser printing. Images are transmitted directly to the printer during digital printing utilizing digital files like PDFs. This can save time and money (unless you’re printing in enormous quantities) by doing away with the requirement for a printing plate, which is utilized in other printing techniques like lithography.
Businesses may print on demand with digital printing and benefit from rapid turnaround times. Requests for as few as one print can be made, which makes it excellent for small-run work. Using digital printing for the correct project might be more affordable than other, larger-scale solutions while still producing prints of comparable quality.
- Large Format
As the name might imply, large-format printing aims to achieve the widest print roll width possible. This printing approach, as opposed to other methods like digital printing, gives you a considerably greater space to work on, making it ideal for conventional advertising mediums and companies trying to make a significant effect on their clients.
Large format printing involves rolls of prints that are sequentially fed to create one big sheet instead of printing onto individual sheets.
Large-format printing is the finest choice for large print media, such as building wraps, billboards, banners, and murals. The output size of the material can’t be as large as the other printing techniques. Most businesses use large format media to create flat objects that can be wall-hung, folded or made to stand independently.
- Flexography
The contemporary equivalent of letterpress printing is flexographic printing, frequently employed for printing on irregular surfaces. High-volume works can be completed with this type of printing, which uses inks that dry quickly and are semi-liquid.
Flexible photopolymer printing plates are wrapped around turning cylinders on a web press. These inked plates are turned quickly to transfer the image from the inked plates onto the print media, which has a slightly elevated image of the information.
- 3D Printing
We’ve been able to print three-dimensional items since the 1980s, thanks to 3D printing, which may be an effective method to engage your audience. The desired objects of various sizes and shapes are produced using digital model data from 3D models or electronic sources, such as an additive manufacturing file (AMF). Then, this 3D object is created by fusing together additive chemical mixes.
3D printers have developed into increasingly complex machines. Even devices with internal moving parts are now capable of being printed. Miniscule layers are printed on top of one another using a specific plastic once the details have been worked out on computer software like CAD.
Get the Best Printing from Orlando Copier
When choosing a printing technique for your business, there are many factors to consider, such as cost, time, and durability. To make the best decision for your company, it is important to consult an expert who can help you weigh your options. At Orlando Copier, we specialize in helping businesses find the perfect printing solution for their needs. We would be happy to sit down with you and discuss the different printing techniques available so that you can make the best decision for your business. Contact us at (888) 977 4487 to get started!
