Digital printing is a modern printing process to print files directly from computers to paper. It is known and appreciated for its rapidity and its low cost, this is why digital printing is now considered as the main alternative to offset printing.

Discover digital printing for textile    

Digital printing : how does it work ?

Technically, how does digital printing work ?

There are two main sorts of digital printing : inkjet printing and laser printing.

Inkjet digital printing

Inkjet printing propels a continuous ink jet on paper, previously supplied by liquid ink cartridges. Depending on the printing file, an electric charge leads the ink, making many detours to realize the wanted picture.

Today, the inkjet digital printing makes neat realizations, close to the quality of offset process.

Laser digital printing

Laser digital printing is an electrostatic system, working on a powder system, to design the image on a mechanical cylinder. Technically, the cylinder is covered with a semiconductor substance, allowing the powder to stick to the enlighten zones of the cylinder to replicate the wanted image in one go.

The quality of this printing process is also very close to the offset one. 

Digital printing : for what uses ? 

Digital printing is mostly used for on demand, customized and small quantity printings. 
This process is especially used to realize communication tools. We are talking about :

• Logos
• Advertising images
• Wrappings
• Packagings
• Books
• Etc.

Digital printing : advantages

Today, digital printing is getting more and more appreciated by printers. Especially because of its advantages :

• Savings : the printing prices are low
• Rapidity : the realization delays are low
• Adaptability : realization of small quantity customized printings

Digital printing : disadvantages

Even if digital printing is being popularized and getting more sophisticated, there are still some significant disadvantages :  
 

• This process is not adapted to large scale productions
• The choices of formats and papers are limited
• There are many consumables which are hardly recyclable.