There are many different types of printing methods and the correct one to be used will depend upon a number of factors:
Number of copies required
Whether there is a need for personalisation
The finished size of the job
The paper to be printed on
The time available
We will now look at the main printing methods used for work at the University:
Digital: effectively like very high quality desktop printers. All work undertaken within the Print Services department is printed digitally. This is particularly suited to smaller quantities and where personalization is required. However, it may not be the cheapest solution once quantities increase. The turnaround on digital print will always be the quickest and can often be facilitated next day.
Litho:litho print (also known as offset print) transfers an image from a metal plate onto a rubber blanket and then onto the paper.It has traditionally been regarded as higher quality than digital print, however, modern digital presses such as those found in the Print Services department have a quality close to that achieved on litho printing presses. A litho press will take longer to set up and is therefore more costly to ‘make ready’. However, once the press has been made ready, sheets are very cheap to print as they can run at speeds of 15000 sheets an hour or more. This makes litho print the perfect solution for larger quantities.
Silk Screen: silk screen printing allows print onto many different substrates though is used heavily when printing garments. Again, it is costly to set up but cheap to run. It is possible to print digitally onto fabrics too.
Rest assured that Print Services will always choose the most appropriate method for the job in hand and the technicians are always available to advise on the most appropriate method for your job.
