When the first digital presses began appearing in the late 90s, the quality of the printing was nowhere near what offset presses could produce. Also, choice of paper stock was limited in terms of what kinds of weights and finishes could be run through a digital press. However, the great appeal and promise of a digital press and digital printing was the elimination of a key pre-press step: the creation of printing plates. Not unlike a desktop printer, a digital press could receive a file directly from the computer and print a finished piece albeit in greater quantities and at fasters speeds than a desktop printer, lessening the turnaround time needed to produce a print job.
In the intervening twenty-five years or so since the appearance of the first digital press, great improvements have been made in the digital press technology. While not yet able to match an offset press, the quality of the print has greatly improved and the printers can accommodate a greater variety of paper stocks and weights.
Advantages and Benefits of Digital Printing
Digital printing enables affordable short-run printing as well as waste-saving print on demand (POD) and targeted variable data printing (VDP).
Short-Run Printing
Print runs of 1,000 pieces or less are an ideal, cost-effective match for digital presses. Because printing plates are not required which reduces prep time, printing smaller quantities is not an issue.
Print on Demand (POD)
Prior to the development and widespread availability of digital presses, it was simply not economical (nor feasible) to print quantities less than 500 of a given piece — you’d pay the same amount for 50 pieces as you would for 500 or 5000 for that matter. Digital presses have now made print on demand a reality. Printed items can be ordered in amounts that reflect their actual per month usage and don’t have to be stockpiled until, as previously, the next big scheduled print order. This also means information in a printed piece can be updated frequently with fewer printed pieces becoming outdated and going to waste.
Print on Demand has been of particular benefit to the printing and production of books. Rather than pre-printing several thousand copies of a book where many copies may go unsold, a book can be printed on demand if/when a sale is made. This has opened up the market for book authors and small publishing houses who can now afford to write and publish small quantities of books in their initial printings.
Variable Data Printing (VDP)
In the bygone days prior to the introduction of digital presses, printing and mailing items to a select list involved a multi-stage process: 1) print item to be mailed; 2) print mailing labels with addresses; 3) affix labels to printed item. With a digital press, information like mailing addresses can be merged with the digital file of the item to be printed (e.g., a postcard) and printed concurrently. This technology (VDP) enables a printed piece to be customized for each individual recipient and it’s not limited to just a mailing address. A postcard, for example, could be customized with a specific message or graphic/image tailored to the recipient. Digital printing has thus made direct mail pieces more effective with the ability to personalize each piece.
If you have any questions about digital printing, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We’re happy to help you get the most out of your printing project.
