Lithography What is Lithography Printing? Lithography is used for many commercially printed books, brochures, newspapers, magazines, posters and all other print media forms. Offset lithography is a method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the paper or any other print material being used. The paper never comes into direct contact with the metal plates. There are two types of lithographic machines used for publication. Sheet-fed offset printing and Web off- set printing. Advantages of Lithographic Print: Clarity Clear, smooth, sharp images and text on a variety of materials. Low Cost The unit cost of each page goes down as the quantity printed goes up, making offset lithographic printing the cheapest, most cost-effective method for producing media content Speed Prints many pages simultaneously on both sides of the paper, which decreases printing times. Versatility Used for different lengths of runs for different types of projects (books, advertising flyers, cat- alogues, magazines and newspapers) as well as used on different types of printing surfaces (cloth, leather, metal, plastic and wood) Disadvantages of Lithographic Print: Expensive start-up A significant area of cost is attributed to making ready the job – ie the cost and time involved in making the plates and in running the ‘spare’ material that is required until all the plate images are in register and the job can be run. Only Long-run suitable Not suitable for short-run printing as it is not cost-effective. As a result, smaller printing jobs are now moving to digital offset machines. Long turnaround time The turnaround time is longer with lithographic printing, usually a 5 working day average. This is because time has to be allowed for the ink to completely dry before finishing and longer run jobs have to be scheduled to run on the bigger lithographic presses. Digital print What is digital print? Digital printing is a technique of printing from a digital based image straight to a variety of dif- ferent media. It generally refers to professional printing from small run jobs to desktop publish- ing and other digital sources using a large format and or high volume laser or inject printers. Advantages of Digital Print: Cost Effective Without the need to create a plate for every image, small businesses can print small quantities of brochures, flyers and business cards more cost effectively. Greener The elimination of a plate, and almost non-existent make-ready, means you also don’t need all the other printing materials and waste that go along with them. Personalisation Every print can be personalised to include unique content, such as the customer’s name, person- alised URL and relevant images. Personalising marketing helps improve the response rate be- cause people are more likely to engage with content that’s relevant to their interests. High Quality Indigo Digital quality is now indistinguishable from traditional litho. printing. Shorter Print Runs Quick turnaround as the job is produced in its finished format with no additional drying time required. Disadvantages of Digital Print: Longevity A disadvantage of digital is that the product does not have a coating added; the coating adds to the longevity of the product and therefore protects it from marking Toners Toners are used within digital print, which means cracking can occur when a job is creased or folded the toners can also result in lamination bubbling or not adhering correctly. This may also affect additional processes Usage There are fewer issues when a printer is used regularly. If it is not in regular use it’s more likely that the ink drying on the heads will inturn block the nozzles. If a printer is in regular use the ink is kept lowing and this can be avoided. vs
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LithographyWhat is Lithography Printing?
Lithography is used for many commercially printed books, brochures, newspapers, magazines, posters and all other print media forms.Offset lithography is a method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the paper or any other print material being used. The paper never comes into direct contact with the metal plates. There are two types of lithographic machines used for publication. Sheet-fed offset printing and Web off-set printing.
Advantages of Lithographic Print:
Clarity
Clear, smooth, sharp images and text on a variety of materials.
Low Cost
The unit cost of each page goes down as the quantity printed goes up, making offset lithographic printing the cheapest, most cost-effective method for producing media content
Speed
Prints many pages simultaneously on both sides of the paper, which decreases printing times.
Versatility
Used for different lengths of runs for different types of projects (books, advertising flyers, cat-alogues, magazines and newspapers) as well as used on different types of printing surfaces (cloth, leather, metal, plastic and wood)
Disadvantages of Lithographic Print:
Expensive start-up
A significant area of cost is attributed to making ready the job – ie the cost and time involved in making the plates and in running the ‘spare’ material that is required until all the plate images are in register and the job can be run.
Only Long-run suitable
Not suitable for short-run printing as it is not cost-effective. As a result, smaller printing jobs are now moving to digital offset machines.
Long turnaround time
The turnaround time is longer with lithographic printing, usually a 5 working day average. This is because time has to be allowed for the ink to completely dry before finishing and longer run jobs have to be scheduled to run on the bigger lithographic presses.
Digital printWhat is digital print?
Digital printing is a technique of printing from a digital based image straight to a variety of dif-ferent media. It generally refers to professional printing from small run jobs to desktop publish-ing and other digital sources using a large format and or high volume laser or inject printers.
Advantages of Digital Print:
Cost Effective
Without the need to create a plate for every image, small businesses can print small quantities of brochures, flyers and business cards more cost effectively.
Greener
The elimination of a plate, and almost non-existent make-ready, means you also don’t need all the other printing materials and waste that go along with them.
Personalisation
Every print can be personalised to include unique content, such as the customer’s name, person-alised URL and relevant images. Personalising marketing helps improve the response rate be-cause people are more likely to engage with content that’s relevant to their interests.
High Quality
Indigo Digital quality is now indistinguishable from traditional litho. printing.Shorter Print RunsQuick turnaround as the job is produced in its finished format with no additional drying time required.
Disadvantages of Digital Print:
Longevity
A disadvantage of digital is that the product does not have a coating added; the coating adds to the longevity of the product and therefore protects it from marking
Toners
Toners are used within digital print, which means cracking can occur when a job is creased or folded the toners can also result in lamination bubbling or not adhering correctly. This may also affect additional processes
Usage
There are fewer issues when a printer is used regularly. If it is not in regular use it’s more likely that the ink drying on the heads will inturn block the nozzles. If a printer is in regular use
the ink is kept lowing and this can be avoided.
vs
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