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quotes@digitalcityprinting.comAll you need to know about offset printing
Beautiful prints are everywhere at the moment. However, that hasn’t stopped curious people from asking what offset printing is. Some others talk about lithographic printing in a way that makes it difficult to know whether it is entirely different from offset printing. The truth is that one is a for of the other, but you have to read this to understand how it all works.
What is Offset Printing?
Transferring inked image from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface is offset printing. Sometimes the image is inscribed on a flat material in such a way that the image absorbs ink from ink rollers while the non-printing area absorbs water.
With this method, the non-printing area is kept ink-free, and the image you want to print retains the ink. Text that is printed using offset printing has marked differences like sharp type edges, clear outlines, and the absence of paper surrounding ink dots. This requires tremendous skill and attention to detail. We use German-made state-of-the-art Heidelberg equipment, known across the world for the quality of their workmanship.
Our team has wide-ranging experience producing top-quality marketing materials with the ultimate in definition, color matching, and reproduction. Offset printing begins with an initial pre-press stage where digital files are broken down into their color separation, and laser etched on decoded aluminum plates. Offset printers then load these plates into a roller technically known in the printing world like a plate cylinder.
When the cylinders revolve, operators dampen the non-image area of the image with water from the dampening system.
Machine operators then pass a vegetable oil-based ink through a series of rollers into the image area of the plate. They then offset the image to another cylinder with a rubber blanket which makes the image clearer and sharper. Paper loaded into the start of the press is separated by jets of air to ensure that only a piece travels at a time.
Users of this method slip the paper horizontally between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder before the paper is passed on to the next unit to receive the next color. After the pass through each group, the machine piles it up at the end of the press, and each layer is separated with powder so that the image can dry adequately.
What is lithographic printing?
Lithography means a print from stone. It is not surprising because lithographic printing as it is traditionally known starts with the creation of the drawing or design on an etched stone like the other forms of offset lithography printing. By etched, we mean that the surface of the stone used for lithography is open and receptive to grease and water.
Printing workers place the paper or material on the top of the treated image of the stone, and pressure is applied to press the material against the stone. The result of this is a beautiful lithographic print.
What are the benefits of offset printing?
- Offset printing companies use the same method for business cards, brochures, magazines, presentation folders, and books because of the benefits it offers. The rubber blanket in printing sticks to the texture, which improves print quality and ensures clear and sharp images. Printing plates are also fast and easy to produce.
- Since there is no need for contact between the plate and the printing surface in offset printing, the life of printing plates is longer than with traditional methods like lithography. Offset printing also stands out when it comes to producing high-quality prints in large numbers.
- It is also easy to control the ink applied in certain areas. The simplest way to do this is to adjust the screw to alter the gap between the blade and the fountain roller. In turn, the machine modifies density and color in the target areas.
What are the drawbacks of offset printing?
- Offset printing requires much effort to set up plates and produce the print.
- The quality of prints produced using offset printing is high but it is flawed by better printing methods such as rotogravure and photogravure.
- Because printing plates are anodized aluminum materials that could rust from oxidation, the plates used for offset printing need to be adequately maintained.
Is Offset printing better than Digital printing or Digital Offset Printing?
- Offset printing and digital printing are high-quality printing options that can serve the same purpose. Offset and digital is a complements to each other. There are also differences that could account for the preference of one over another in any case.
- Offset printing is best for large volume printing and identical copies. Digital printing is best suited for short-run printing with varying copies.
- It is also more time-consuming to use offset printing because one metal plate carries only one, and it needs to be etched and applied to the rollers for transfer into the paper. Printing workers test run tests on scrap papers, which takes more time altogether to ensure that the machine adequately inks the plate.
- Digital printing takes less time and requires minimal setup. It uses electrostatic rollers called drums to apply toner to the paper using a light sheet. Digital printing also uses a sheet of paper lesser in sizes ranging from size 19-29 while a typical offset printing sheet is between sizes 29-40.
- Some colors are also more precise when they are printed using offset printing than digital printing.
- Digital printing is cheaper for fast projects. It works best for 24 hours or 48 hours of delivery at a more affordable rate.
What colors can you print using the offset printing method?
Although offset printing is not a new method, it still produces the most vibrant crisp colors than any other printing method. If you are concerned about the quality of your print job then talk to one of our printing specialists. There are two 3 types of offset press based on their inking system. Spot Color Offset Press, Full Color Offset Press, and Full-Color Offset press combined with Spot Color. Spot Color press uses Pantone colors or PMS Color matching system.
We have the ability to custom match colors to your particular brand by using the highly innovative Pantone Matching System (PMS). Maintaining brand identity is very important, so we understand that your marketing and promotional materials must be printed to match. This is the only way to ensure brand awareness and broad customer recognition. Full-Color Offset printing machines work on the CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) color scheme. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the standard visible color scheme in most computers. These colors cannot be replicated easily on paper because of the absence of integrated light.
The CMYK uses four primary colors, unlike the three colors in RGB to perfectly replicate RGB colors in print. Aside from the CMYK, the Pantone matching system (PMS) is also a very effective way of printing colors in offset printing. Printers use a unique combination of colors and a precise measurement of ink for printing. The unique Pantone matching system comes handy when there is a need to use an accurate color for printing. CMYK requires more ink than Pantone, and only one or two colors are used in a typical print to keep the cost down.
Effective color management is an essential part of the highest quality offset printing. It makes it possible to maintain consistent color in all parts of printed material. Because brands build a compelling image around unique and effective colors, printing workers have had to grapple with finding the perfect color scheme to ensure customer satisfaction and salvage their image.
Can we do business cards offset printing?
Business cards can be printed using offset printing or digital printing, if you need rush printing then you should go for digital printing. But if you have time and budget you may consider offset printing. Most often people use offset press to print their business card when they need to use PMS colors for their branding. Depending on preference and specific demands you may choose offset printing but In order to make it cost-effective, you should print at least 8 names x 500 on Each card.
When business cards are printed using offset press it produces vibrant colors, crisp text and clean lines. But it might interest you to know that you can cut down the cost per business card by half by using the digital printing method. The printing speed is also remarkable for digital printing.
Which company is providing the best offset printing near me?
The best offset printing services near you is just some clicks away, and you can input the search into Google. there are several offset and hardcover book printing companies in the New York City area, one of which is Digital City. Our company is a professional printing company, and we can handle all kinds of designs and printing without trouble.
We offer some of the best services in the printing industry, and we guarantee a fast turnaround whenever you use any of our services like custom book printing. We know how much you have been looking for the best offset printers near you, and we are happy to deliver a top-notch and, deluxe printing experience.
We do offset printing for Postcards, Annual Reports, Letterheads, Envelopes, Catalogs, etc. When it comes to large quantities and professional quality, offset printing is best for you, especially if your prints are going to be the same. Digital printing also works fine, but you may want to give it a second thought based on speed rather than the size of a printing project. Call one of our customer service agents and let us know your project requirement and we will guide you to achieve your final product.
Offset Printing NYC
At Digital City Printing we are a commercial printing house that offers top-quality offset printing in New York City. We are able to do this very inexpensively because we use state-of-the-art Computer To Plate (CTP) technology. CTP methods transfer digital data directly from the computer onto the printing plates being used on the press. Using CTP there is no need to produce the film, strip and shoot plates. This print technology is highly innovative and very effective for high-volume runs since the more you print, the lower the per-unit cost.
Large Orders with Quick Turnaround
Digital City can offer a quick turnaround on large high-volume orders, which most printing companies cannot deliver on. In any offset printing job, planning in advance is vital. However, this is not always easy. Businesses in New York City that have worked with us know that we can come through when we promise.
Digital City is among a very few New York City printers who continue to offer printing from midtown Manhattan, which gives us an advantage. We can accept orders that others wouldn’t dare to and offer a fast turnaround due to our technology. You can give us an order for 10,000 to 100,000 prints or even more and our print production woulnd take more than 2 – 3 business days after approval. Our all types of printing is typically included CMYK match print.
Consistently High Quality
Many printing runs start off well enough, but after a while, the printing plates or the ink begins wearing out. Unfortunately, this degrades the quality of the overall print run and it will be noticed on large print runs. Customers of Digital City do not need to worry about this, as the quality will remain consistently high throughout their entire order. Digital City uses CTP offset printing processes to increase productivity and reduce waste. This works out economically for large runs and offers higher consistency and quality and it avoids the risk of possible human error.