16 Sep Understanding the Full Benefits of Digital Printing
Ready to choose digital printing? Paul Montesi from PB Visual Communications explains how you can save time and money on your next sign or design project without sacrificing quality.
What Is Digital Printing?
If you’re used to traditional production methods, you’ll be amazed by digital printing.
Traditional offset printing is the movement of ink from one surface to another. The transfer surface is usually rubber and depicts the final image in reverse. When this reversed image rolls onto a sheet of paper, you get the finished copy. The image in the rubber can be used over and over again to produce multiple copies.
Digital printing, on the other hand, involves lasers and inkjets to transfer an image directly onto the material as it appears in the digital format. This means going directly from computer to material.
Uses for Digital Printing
There great thing about digital printing is its flexibility – you can utilise digital from large scale billboards to a small “opening hours” door sign.
While banners, posters and signs remain the top three applications, a recent FESPA’s annual worldwide survey revealed that new applications are fuelling the growth of digital printing.
There has been an 81% increase in textile printing, a 71% increase in point of purchase (digital printing is ideal for small run POP promotions). Also, there was a staggering 69% increase in wallpaper and interior applications where the home owner can create their own design and within a few hours have the wallpaper printed and ready for installation.
External building wraps increased 68% and a growth of 67% in industrial print projects such as printing onto metal screens, glass, timber and ceramics.
Digital is also great when you need to adapt to changing needs, and multi-use, multi-purpose projects.
For example, say you wanted to print out hundreds of personalised invitations. Instead of having a different printing session for each one, changing the individual name every time, you can make the changes digitally and print them all at once.
Digital is also ideal for special printing effects, including unique patterns, shapes and embossing.
Why You Should Choose Digital Printing
Many businesses are taking their printing projects to the digital. Here are a few good reasons why you should, too.
– Digital is faster (ideal for urgent jobs or projects where a fast turnaround is required)
– Digital is cost-effective
– It’s simpler and easier to print small amounts of copy with digital than it is with traditional printing techniques
– Digital is green. Using modern technology to print saves on the water, materials and chemicals
Before you start designing your digital printing project, do your research
– Design. Choose a design that will suit your brand while also maximising the benefits that digital printing brings – pay attention to the colours and fonts that will make your project stand out. Digital printing allows you to be creative, so think big!
– Material choice. Vinyl, textiles, paper, film, wallpaper and even wood, metal or glass, research the best option for your needs, and ask for material samples.
The use of digital printing is developing at a rapid rate and it’s all good news! Production equipment is getting better and cheaper, the inks are improving in quality, process times are faster and best of all the material to print on is now much more diverse.
The next question is: are you working with a design and digital printing expert?
With over 20 years’ experience and the latest in digital printing technology, contact PB Visual Communications. From design and production through to installation, we take care of the full process.
Contact us here at PB Visual for a discussion about your needs. We welcome your call at 1300 441 571.