Different Printing Methods
There are various different printing methods and all of them have their own advantages that make them ideal for specific purposes and materials. If you are looking to print items or if you want to start your own printing business you need to know about all the different printing methods that are available.
Modern printing techniques and methods are used for various different purposes, from printing t-shirts, to brochures, art works, pamphlets, posters, coupons and books. Take a look at some of the different printing methods that are available.
Litho Printing
Litho literally means, ‘stone’ or ‘to write’, and this process was developed in 1796 in Prague and it is still widely used today. Litho printing uses a stone or a metal plate with a smooth surface to transfer images and text on to a page.
Litho printing is a popular printing method due to its relatively low costs and superior quality and smoothness. Litho printing produces exceptionally clear and precise lines and it is also exceptionally fast due to the fact that a litho printing machine can simultaneously print on both sides of a page. Some web press litho machines can print up to 50 000 double sided pages per hour. Litho printing machines are also capable of printing on almost every surface and material which makes it extremely versatile.
Digital Printing
Digital printing uses computers and software programs in order to create digital prints. This means that is a more cost effective means of printing when working in low quantities as compared to litho printing. In litho printing you need to create a plate from which images can be reproduced, setting up and designing these plates can be expensive, which makes digital printing the best type of printing when working in small quantities.
Furthermore digital printing is one of the most eco friendly printing options available, because it does not require any wasted chemicals or wasted paper. You only print what you need, which means that there will be no unnecessary waste.
Each print can also be customized or changed quickly and easily with the use of computer software, instead of having to recreate a new printing plate for every change that needs to be made.
Relief Printing
Relief printing is a printing process where plates are used and these plates, which is often made from wood or rubber, is painted with ink and a paper is pressed into it to create the image. Relief printing is a very specialized form of printing and a lot of people use it to print t-shirts. Rubber stamps are a good example of the relief printing process in action.
Relief printing is not commonly used for large scale printing services as it can be costly and quite time consuming. The specialized plates also take a long time to set up and changes are difficult to alter, as an entirely different plate will have to be designed. But once these plates have been designed it will almost last forever.
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