A Brief History of Digital Printing

Digital printing was first introduced in the 90’s. The first color digital printer to hit the market was the “Indigo”, this machine would start a revolution in printing. As of 2016 digital printing accounts for 18% of all prints. Digital printing works with digital files that are converted to complex sets of numbers and mathematical formulas. Once a document is properly prepared for printing the file is sent to the printer and then the printing process starts.

Why Print Digital?

Digital printing allows for smaller jobs to be done easily and cost efficient. With a digital print there is no need to create plates that other printing methods require. The process is quick, efficient and a lot less messy. With today’s technology the quality of digital prints is very high.

When Should You Print Digital?

If you are looking to do small to medium sized jobs or are on a budget, then digital is a good option for you. Digital printing allows you to run proofs and test the prints without the need for all the setup that other methods need. You are also allowed full customization with your print designs. If you are on a tight schedule and need the prints done quickly, then digital is also the option for you. The minimal setup requirements allows for very fast print runs.

Other Benefits

Digital printing has the ability to utilize variable data. This is a perk of digital printing that cannot be matched by other methods. Variable data allows for you to create personalized prints that vary from each other slightly. For example, you are sending a postcard and have a personal message and would like to add the name of each recipient in the message. Methods that require plates cannot do this due to them not being able to change once made, for digital printing this is no problem. Since it is based off of digital files the machine can automatically change the name to match who would be receiving the postcard. This allows you to be very personal when sending to a audience and can help to really connect with the recipients.