When most of us picture the printing process, we think of our desktop printer, but did you know there are multiple methods of printing used by commercial printers? While some processes are similar to your desktop printer, others are very different. Two of the most popular printing methods are Offset and Digital printing. You may be wondering, “What’s the difference, and why is it important?” The experts here at SUN are ready to compare these two methods and explain their importance in planning our clients’ print projects.

What is Offset Printing?

Offset printing, also known as offset lithography, is a widely utilized printing method. The process involves burning graphic imagery into metal plates for each CMYK ink color (called a separation). The plates are then mounted to a cylinder on the press. While running, the press will apply ink to the plate. The ink will stick to the imaged (burned) area of the plate, while water prevents ink from sticking to the non-imaged area. The plate will then transfer the ink onto a rubber blanket, which then transfers the image onto the printing surface.

What is Digital Printing?

Digital printing is a modern technology that can print graphic imagery without the use of plates. The printer receives a digital file and utilizes advanced technologies to transfer the image directly onto the chosen printing material. There are two major methods of digital printing: toner-based and inkjet-based. Toner-based machines apply powdered toner electrostatically, while inkjet machines spray quick-drying liquid ink onto the surface of the material.

Offset vs. Digital Comparisons

Quantity

Offset: Offset printing is well suited for large-quantity jobs. Once the press is set up, paper travels through the machine at an extremely fast rate. Additionally, offset presses can accommodate larger paper sizes, meaning more products can fit on a sheet, and the machine can run fewer sheets of paper to complete a job. Another factor for consideration is cost efficiency. While it’s true that offset printing requires more setup time, the ink is less expensive than that of Digital, making it more cost-effective for higher quantity runs.

Digital: In comparison, digital printing is a smarter choice for low-quantity jobs. The setup process for digital printing is very quick, so shorter runs may be completed before an offset job is even done setting up. It wouldn’t make sense to go through a complete offset press setup only to run a few sheets of paper. You’d most likely waste more paper during setup than what was needed to complete the job. This important factor makes digital the champion of short print runs.

Color

Offset: Offset can print using both Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK) and Pantone (PMS) inks. PMS inks are formulated to achieve specific desired colors. PMS inks can also come in specialty colors such as metallics and neons. Additionally, some larger presses can utilize Green, Purple, and Orange inks (in addition to CMYK) for what’s known as “expanded gamut” printing. Expanded gamut can effectively reproduce a wider variety of colors than traditional CMYK. This makes the color capabilities of offset printing virtually unlimited.

Digital: Digital presses print primarily using CMYK toner or ink, although some commercial presses include expanded gamut abilities. Other digital presses can come equipped with specialty toners, such as clear or white, but the options are typically limited. Unlike offset printing, digital presses cannot print Pantone (PMS) colors. Jobs that require an exact Pantone-specific match are not good candidates for digital printing.

Turnaround

Offset: The turnaround time (time to complete a job) for offset printing is longer than digital. Many factors contribute to these longer times: First, offset printing requires metal plates to be made beforehand, which can be time-consuming. Second, offset presses have lengthy setup and cleaning processes, which means longer transitions between jobs. Additionally, some presses do not have duplexing capabilities, which means only one side of the sheet can print at a time. Thirdly, offset inks require time to sit and dry after printing. Lastly, finishing processes are typically done on separate machines, which require their own setup and take-down times. All of this makes offsetting printing ill-suited for time-sensitive projects.

Digital: Conversely, digital printing is the ideal choice for tight deadlines. As discussed earlier, digital printing has a much quicker setup time; all that’s required is the insertion of paper and sending the graphic file to the machine. Unlike offset presses, all digital machines can duplex on the fly (both sides of the sheet can be printed at the same time), which makes a substantial difference in production time. Additionally, some finishing capabilities like collating, cutting, and binding can be done inline on the digital press, meaning they don’t have to be put on separate machines before project completion. Overall, digital printing is overwhelmingly the best choice for rushy print work.

We hope this quick comparison of offset and digital printing helps explain why some print jobs are more well-suited for one process rather than the other. Our experts here at SUN consider all these factors when we plan the production of our client’s print jobs. If you have questions or want to learn more about our print capabilities here at SUN, feel free to leave a comment or call us at 715-845-4911.