Digital printing

What is digital printing?

With the advent of the computer age, printing options have become nearly unlimited. While options such as embroidery, patches, and transfers are still widely used, computers have provided a new form of printing: digital.

Digital printing maps out an image onto a chosen surface – a shirt, a mug, a hat, a bag, etc. – and using minute droplets of ink transfers that image onto it. Its simplicity and minimal use of equipment make digital printing one of the most cost-effective printing forms out there. It is also ideal for small batches of products, making it one of the best Print on Demand services options.

Types of digital printing

Digital printing can be used in several different ways. Not simply limited to a single, compatible form of transfer, it can be used in:

• Inkjet and laser are the most used forms of digital printing. Inkjet and laser printers are found everywhere, from offices to private homes.
• Solid ink is used more often for larger-scale printing operations, such as by graphic designers. Solid ink printing uses a waxy resin-polymer to create striking advertisements and long-lasting images.
• Digital press is great for high-volume orders such as booklets, brochures, leaflets, labels, and business cards.
• Dye sublimation digital printing can be used alongside heat transfers to print images onto various fabrics for clothes, accessories, and merchandise. Sublimation is the most popular printing method for custom t-shirts and there are numerous blank t-shirts that are perfect for your sublimation print.

The printing process

Digital printing no longer requires the use of printing plates or transfer stickers. By connecting specially designed printing machines, computers can print images directly onto the chosen media material. There are no stages between the finished digital image and the printing process, making it much quicker and easier than traditional printing methods. 

The three steps for preparing an image for digital printing are:

1. The image is created. Any digital artifacts are removed, and the image itself is cropped to a bare minimum size of the subject. This is to ensure it is printed cleanly and without any loss in quality.
2. The image is sized to fit the highest area possible on the chosen material. This again ensures that no quality is lost during the printing process.
3. The image files are formatted to the correct file type for the machines used and sent to the printer. High-quality file formats are used to keep the image crisp and clear.

When transferring the image onto the chosen media, the inks form a thin layer on its surface. This further allows adherents to be added via curing or heating techniques to help make the image more permanent. This process also conserves much more energy than standard printing, as it bypasses many of the processes typically used in regular printing. As a result, digital printing is far more eco-friendly than other options.

Digital printing machines

Unlike traditional printing machines, digital-based machines do not require printing plates. These are the parts of the machine that hold the image printed, and they must be frequently changed and maintained. With a digital printing machine, the image is directly printed onto the chosen product or material. 

Depending on the image being used, digital printing offers a nearly perfect transfer of image quality. Whatever goes in comes back out with very little loss in quality. It is also a quick and effective mode of printing. Digital printers allow for sheet-fed and cut-sheet digital press options, making high-speed and high-volume outputs possible.

Digital print media and products

As digital printing is no longer limited by transfer methods of a traditional printing machine, it can be used for various media and material types. Some of the more common options are:

• Thick cardstock – used for products such as greetings and business cards
• Folding cartons – ideal for creating branded packaging, or labeled boxes for storage or transport
• Fabric – a great option for merchandise, apparel showing logos and artwork, and accessories such as tote bags and scarves
• Linen – modern consumers are after more than just the standard t-shirts and caps. Thanks to digital printing, people can now extend their product ranges to bed sheets, curtains, bathrobes, and even shower curtains.

The versatility of digital printing has made it the go-to source for mass-produced distributable items. Any industry that requires large quantities of print has turned to digital. Business cards, greetings cards, menus, flyers, newsletters, and flyers can all be easily and quickly churned out in their hundreds and thousands for only a fraction of the cost of traditional printing.

Benefits of digital printing

Being a more modern form of printing, there are many benefits for choosing digital over traditional printing. These include:

• Frequent advances – innovations make it more adaptable than older forms. It is much more flexible and easily updated to fit more and more products and ideas.
• Cheaper to set up and run – not requiring the machinery needed with physical printing devices, such as plates, is much cheaper to print digitally. Maintenance costs only go as far as the devices themselves, and the inks are easier to come by.
• Order volume can range from a single item – since it is cheaper and quicker to print digitally, a single item is much more cost-friendly. This makes digital printing a much more viable option for Print on Demand services.
• Quicker printing process – as there are very few steps involved in setting up a digital printing project, the time it takes to produce the chosen items is significantly reduced. Despite the faster printing time, it also maintains the same level of quality, meaning more high-quality products can be printed in a shorter time.
• Digital images are easier to edit – personalized items are much simpler to produce as a digital image can be edited freely and quickly. Some images can even be programmed to update automatically based on a set of data input into the image or software.
• Black and white printing is much cheaper – while digital printing has the market covered for vibrant and high-quality color printing, black and white options are much cheaper than even color options.

Digital printing vs. offset printing

Digital and Offset are both effective printing techniques. Offset printing works better when you require larger project runs (into the 100s or 1000s) or are using brand-centric Pantone color. Plus, offset lets you utilize a range of custom papers and specialty inks. However, if you only need a small run (let’s say less than 100) or information is required, then digital printing is your best bet. Digital printing can give you the high level of quality that makes your product stand out.

Conclusion

With all this in mind, it’s easy to see how digital is the future of printing. By streamlining every aspect of the printing process and cutting time and cost, it’s no wonder more people are turning to digital printing.