Color Printing Press
If you’re in the market for a color printing press, figuring out the right solution for you needs can be a bit of a challenge.
Do you go offset or digital? If offset, how many colors?
For example you can get 1 color, 2 color, 4 color, 5 color, 6 color, and even more advanced offset systems.
Digital is all four color.
Offset Vs Digital Printing
I know when it comes time for me to reorder my business cards, my supplier has great prices for 1,000 and above. However, for lower quantities, their prices aren’t all that great. That’s because they use offset equipment to print the cards.
In high volume, commercial settings, offset equipment is mainly used but both digital and offset systems have their place.
Here are some of the advantages of each.
Pros of Digital
Shorter Turnaround
All prints the same
More accurate counts
Less waste
Cheaper lower volume printing
Variable data printing available – personalization of direct mail pieces, etc
Pros of Offset
High image quality
Works on wider range of printing surfaces including paper, wood, cloth, metal, leather, plastic, textured paper
Lower unit cost as quantities increase
More cost effective for high volume jobs
Offset Press Manufacturers
Miller
Heidelberg
Ryobi
KBA
Komori
Digital Press Manufacturers
Canon
Xerox
HP
Oce
Xeikon
Press Solutions
While HP is well known for the inkjet and laser printers, they’ve also got some excellent digital color presses. The HP Indigo 5000 Press combines electroxerography and CMYK offset printing and excellent value for short runs (1-1000 press sheets).
If you’re going to be doing higher volume but still want the advantages of digital printing, the Heidelberg Quickmaster DI is a pretty nifty machine. It uses state of the art digital offset technology to give you advantages you get from both the offset and digital world.
Color Printing Press
If you’re in the market for a color printing press, figuring out the right solution for you needs can be a bit of a challenge.
Do you go offset or digital? If offset, how many colors?
For example you can get 1 color, 2 color, 4 color, 5 color, 6 color, and even more advanced offset systems.
Digital is all four color (CMKY).
Offset Vs Digital Printing
I know when it comes time for me to reorder my business cards, my supplier has great prices for 1,000 and above. However, for lower quantities, their prices aren’t all that great. That’s because they use offset equipment to print the cards.
In high volume, commercial settings, offset equipment is mainly used but both digital and offset systems have their place.
Here are some of the advantages of each.
Pros of Digital
- Shorter Turnaround
- All prints the same
- More accurate counts
- Less waste
- Cheaper lower volume printing
- Variable data printing available – personalization of direct mail pieces, etc
Pros of Offset
- High image quality
- Works on wider range of printing surfaces including paper, wood, cloth, metal, leather, plastic, textured paper
- Lower unit cost as quantities increase
- More cost effective for high volume jobs
Offset Press Manufacturers
- Miller
- Heidelberg
- Ryobi
- KBA
- Komori
Digital Press Manufacturers
- Canon
- Xerox
- HP
- Oce
- Xeikon
Press Solutions
While HP is well known for the inkjet and laser printers, they’ve also got some excellent digital color presses. The HP Indigo 5000 Press combines electroxerography and CMYK offset printing and excellent value for short runs (1-1000 press sheets).
If you’re going to be doing higher volume but still want the advantages of digital printing, the Heidelberg Quickmaster DI is a pretty nifty machine. It uses state of the art digital offset technology to give you advantages you get from both the offset and digital world.
