Digital Printing, Digital Press, What? (Dallas, TX)

Confused by the terms commonly used to describe non-offset printing? Well let’s straighten that out right now. Digital Printing is the term most commonly used to describe documents produced in an electronic, non-offset environment, typically a color copier by another name. Sort of.

So is all digital printing done on a digital press, and what is a digital press?

No, not all digital printing is done on a digital press. There are very few, true digital presses. Most of what is produced and called digital printing is done on color copiers. A digital press is a machine that looks a lot like a copier because his ancestors were indeed copiers, but the method in which the image is created, cmyk mode, is done in exactly the manner in which offset printing produces a cmyk process color image. That makes it a true press by definition.

So when would you produce a cmyk image on an offset press vs. a digital press? Use an offset press when the run lengths typically exceed about 5,000 or you have plenty of time or 1-to-1 personalization is not wanted. Use a digital press (like a Canon ImagePRESS 6000) when your run length is less than 5000, you want personalization on each piece, or you don’t have the time for the offset printing cycle.

Got it?

Phillip Crum is the Chief Idea Officer of MarketingMeasure and is committed to the idea of helping small business owners do a better job of finding their next customer or client. He and his two sons also own a Sir Speedy Printing franchise and employ those additional capabilities in the overall marketing services menu of offerings. Phillip can be reached at 214-213-7445, or pcrum@MarketingMeasure.com