Here at PrimeSourceOPC, we have several different printing capabilities, including digital printing and flexographic printing. When digital printing was developed, many printers felt that it would completely overtake flexographic printing and become the new standard of printing. That hasn’t really happened and having both printing capabilities is important to giving businesses the type of printing they need at a cost-effective price point.
So which type of printing is right for your current needs? That depends on several factors.
- Digital Printing: In this type of printing, a digital image is printed directly on the substrate with a laser or inkjet printer. There are no printing plates needed, which means that there is less setup time, less waste and that changes to your printing can be made quickly and easily on a digital platform before printing. It is a great choice for on-demand printing needs, or if you need a short run print. Variable labels are another thing that only work because of digital printing technology.
- Flexographic printing: If you need a large volume of the same printing, flexographic printing can be more cost-effective. It produces a high-quality print by utilizing flexible plates made of rubber or screen that are mounted to a cylinder. You can use a variety of inks and various substrates, depending on your specific needs. There is more setup time involved and some images can be affected by gradation or shadow drop-offs.
Most businesses utilize both digital printing and flexographic printing at different times for different types of need. Having both these printing capabilities in one facility is a big advantage to how we serve our customers.