Digital printing is the process of transferring images onto various media substrates, such as paper, fabric, cardstock, and other materials, using digital printers.
Unlike traditional printing methods like offset printing and screen printing, it doesn’t need printing plates or mesh screens to transfer images on a surface. Instead, a digital printing press sprays small ink droplets to print a digital image on a material. It’s a cost-effective on-demand printing solution that makes for faster turnarounds.
In this article, we’ll answer your questions about its various applications, how it works, and the types of digital printing. Keep reading to read digital printing explained!
What Is Digital Printing Used For?
Digital printing presses print for a plethora of applications fit for personal or business operations:
| Applications of Digital Printing | |
| Desktop Publishing | Print documents whenever you need with desktop inkjet or laserjet printers. You can even print on the go with portable printers—perfect for travelling professionals. |
| Custom Products | Digital printing allows you to start a business selling custom apparel, tumblers, mugs, and other items. With digital sublimation printing, it’s now easy to make custom items! |
| Photo Printing | Most photo centers have switched to digital printing and installed production printers and inkjets in their workspaces. They use these devices to print various photo sizes, from ID pictures to 30” x 35”. |
| Marketing Materials | Many businesses and agencies across industries are setting up in-house publications to cut costs in creating marketing materials such as brochures, flyers, posters, banners, coupons, and more. |
| Packaging Printing | Small businesses use office-level printers to create sticker labels and packaging printouts for their brand! |
Image Source: Canva
How Does the Digital Printing Process Work?
The digital printing process isn’t as intimidating as it sounds since it doesn’t require metal plates or screens; it’s as straightforward as readying your design, preparing the material you’re printing on and clicking print. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
1. Image Creation
All digital printing processes begin with image creation. This is where you use designing or desktop publishing software to create an image, logo, or other things you’d like to print.
2. Rasterization
Next, you’ll need to convert your files into a raster image format (JPEG, PNG, and GIF). Most design software has this feature, breaking your image into millions of dots or pixels. Rasterization is important in the digital printing process because it makes the printout more realistic and highly defined. It also lowers the risk of pixelated quality!
3. Colour Management
Before an image is printed, its colours are managed to ensure consistency throughout the digital printing process from the screen to the material. It’s a crucial step since the colours displayed on your computer, tablet, and phone screens look different when printed on a substrate which has a colour of its own. As a result, your printed materials may look darker or lighter than what you’ve seen during the image creation phase.
4. Printing
When all adjustments and approvals are done, a user can send the image as a print task to the printer. The printer translates the data and starts printing by transferring ink onto a substrate.
Image Source: Canva
Types of Digital Printing
Digital printing machines comes in different forms, and each has unique characteristics perfect for specific usages:
Inkjet and Laser Printers
Inkjet printers spray ink droplets onto various paper types to form high-quality images and texts with vivid colours. These are perfect for home and office applications.
Laser printers are perfect for businesses that produce high-volume and long-lasting paper documents at fast speeds. This digital printing technology beams your print image as a laser light onto a drum, which attracts toner powder with static electricity. As the paper passes through the printer, the drum transfers and presses the toner to transfer an image.
Solid Ink Printers
Solid ink printers use and melt coloured wax for printing vibrant images. Graphic designers favour this digital printing technology because of its unmatched brilliant colour definition and adaptability to large-scale printing.
Large Format Printers
A large or wide format printer rivals screen and offset printing because it uses ink to produce big or wide printouts, such as banners, posters, and other materials used in advertising. Its versatility, precision, and speed can mimic the quality of those produced by traditional printing methods.
Dye Sublimation Digital Printing
Dye sublimation is a popular method for business owners selling apparel and other customized merchandise. Its process involves a sublimation printer printing an image on a special transfer paper and heat for transferring images onto a substrate.
Lease or Purchase Digital Printers From Busys.ca
Digital printing is the modern, cost-effective way to print—you can always trust it for quick turnarounds and stunning print quality. If that’s what your business needs, Busys.ca will provide your printer solutions.
We’re Ontario’s leading print solutions provider, supplying all kinds of printers to various industries—from small to corporate, local to multi-location. Our printing catalogue has the best multifunction copiers, office printers, and large format printers, all sourced from trusted brands like Canon, Toshiba, and Konica Minolta.
Our team can match you with the right digital printing technology. Request a quote today!
