Since its inception, the offset printing method has provided countless projects with high-quality and cost-effective printing solutions. Know in detail how it works. People having an idea of the various options for commercial printing are well aware of the term ‘offset printing.’ The popularity of offset printing is a direct result of the various benefits that it offers to its clients. It is primarily designed for bulk printing that requires consistent quality at an affordable cost. Hold your patience and read till the end to learn about offset printing in detail and the purpose of its use.
What Is Offset Printing?
A popular commercial printing method, offset printing, works by transferring ink from a printable plate to a rubber blanket and finally on the material to be printed on. The justice of the term ‘offset’ is done as there is no direct transfer of the ink from the plate to the paper. There is an intermediary surface, the rubber blanket before it is finally transferred to the substrate.
What Is Offset Printing Used For?
Offset printing is especially used for large-scale printing projects like materials for marketing, books, magazines, brochures, and newspapers. It is a popular printing method, especially for its high precision level, ability to ensure consistent quality throughout large print runs, and accuracy of colour.
This printing method is also preferred by various organisations and businesses with mass printing requirements, as it is ideal for runs of 500 and above. However, various other advantages make it a perfect choice for many. Let’s explore all the multifaceted benefits that the best printing company offering offset printing services can offer:
High-Quality Printing:
The offset printing technique is famous for ensuring high-quality prints consistently for each print. Therefore there is no such scenario concerning faded or low-quality prints. It offers clean and sharp images on every page, along with the optimum level of contrast inside the images.
Operational Flexibility:
Offset printing offers the utmost flexibility to the operator as one can exercise control over the ink flow. As a result, there is no scene of wasted prints with fading images.
Time-Efficient:
If your business needs speedy printing without compromising quality, offset printing would be the ideal choice. Although some time is required for creating the metal plate and customising things according to the print requirement, it would be worthwhile in the long run as its speedy services help one to meet deadlines efficiently.
Cost Effective:
Offset printing is cost-effective for bulk prints. No doubt why it is suitable for newspapers. The printing solution offers quality prints at an affordable cost. The higher the number of prints that can be done in a cycle, the lower the production cost of each piece, which makes it quite a feasible option for large enterprises looking for bulk prints.
Variety Of Ink Type And Paper Can Be Used:
Standard printing solutions offer rigidity in the choice of materials on which the printing needs to be done. But offset printing comes with the flexibility where one can choose the ink as well as the type of material. There are innumerable choices for materials, including leather, metal, wood, plastic, fabric, cardstock, and all types of paper.
What Is The Procedure Involved In Offset Printing?
The operational procedure of the offset printing method involves several steps, which are mentioned below:
- Prepress: In this step, the preparation of the artwork is done for printing. This typically includes image editing, typesetting, and designing the layout. On finalising the design, the printing plates are made with the help of a process that transforms the entire artwork onto a metal plate.
- Printing: The next step is printing, where ink is applied to the printing tables and then transferred to a rubber blanket before offsetting onto the substrate. The printing press of offset printing system comes with various units, each having its own water system and ink. Moreover, the paper is fed several times for the successful application of each colour.
- Postpress: The final step is Postpress, where the printed material goes through other processes like coating, sizing and cutting, ar binding, as per project requirements.
Final Thoughts:
Therefore it is clear that offset printing is the best printing solution for high-quality projects requiring perfection and accuracy of colour is offset printing. However, choosing the best printing company is essential to ensure quality and on-time delivery. You can check for customer reviews before settling on a particular printing press for your business project.