Digital printing has been around for a while, but improved technology has allowed it to offer better quality than ever before. That means it can now be used in a wide range of applications — many of them beneficial to small businesses. Here are answers to some of the top questions you might have about how digital printing relates to your small or medium-sized business:
- How Does Digital Printing Work?
Digital printing is designated as such because it requires no analogue medium to transfer ink to the substrate (the fancy printing term for the material that’s being printed on). So unlike offset printing, which uses a series of plates and rollers to layer colored inks to achieve the final image, digital printing is guided simply by a computer file. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s just like your inkjet office printer — it’s a bit more complicated than that, and requires skilled operators. That’s why it’s able to offer such a high printing quality when compared to your average office digital printing.
- What Can Digital Printing Be Used For?
Digital printing can be used for a very wide range of products and on a very wide range of specialty papers. It also allows for the use of special inks and finishes. You should keep in mind, however, that not all digital printing companies will be able to offer large format printing in digital form, you it pays off to search around for the perfect printing company before you get started.
- Why Should I Choose Digital Printing?
The greatest advantage digital printing offers to SMBs is that it’s very affordable, especially at small print companies. Say that you need a dozen copies of a training booklet for a conference. If you had that project done on an offset press, most of your money would probably go into setup fees that pay for those custom plates and rollers mentioned above. But with a digital printing company, you can simply hand over your digital file and pay per sheet. The turnaround on digital printing is therefore much faster as well, which can be a big advantage if you tend to run behind.
What other questions do you have about how digital printing can help out SMBs? Join the discussion in the comments.