Lithography and digital printing are two common printing methods. Lithography involves transferring images on metal plates to rollers and paper through an offset process. It produces clear, sharp images at low cost, especially for long print runs. However, it has high startup costs and long turnaround times. Digital printing produces prints directly from digital files without plates. It is more cost effective for short runs and allows for personalization. While digital printing quality has improved, lithography remains better for longevity.

1. LithographyWhat is Lithography Printing?
Lithography is used for many commercially printed books, brochures, newspapers, magazines,
posters and all other print media forms.
Offset lithography is a method of mass-production printing in which the images on metal plates
are transferred (offset) to rubber blankets or rollers and then to the paper or any other print
material being used. The paper never comes into direct contact with the metal plates. There are
two types of lithographic machines used for publication. Sheet-fed offset printing and Web off-
set printing.
Advantages of Lithographic Print:
Clarity
Clear, smooth, sharp images and text on a variety of materials.
Low Cost
The unit cost of each page goes down as the quantity printed
goes up, making offset lithographic printing the cheapest, most
cost-effective method for producing media content
Speed
Prints many pages simultaneously on both sides of the paper, which decreases printing times.
Versatility
Used for different lengths of runs for different types of projects (books, advertising flyers, cat-
alogues, magazines and newspapers) as well as used on different types of printing surfaces
(cloth, leather, metal, plastic and wood)
Disadvantages of Lithographic Print:
Expensive start-up
A significant area of cost is attributed to making ready the job – ie the cost and time involved in
making the plates and in running the ‘spare’ material that is required until all the plate images
are in register and the job can be run.
Only Long-run suitable
Not suitable for short-run printing as it is not cost-effective. As a result, smaller printing jobs
are now moving to digital offset machines.
Long turnaround time
The turnaround time is longer with lithographic printing, usually a 5 working day average. This
is because time has to be allowed for the ink to completely dry before finishing and longer run
jobs have to be scheduled to run on the bigger lithographic presses.
Digital printWhat is digital print?
Digital printing is a technique of printing from a digital based image straight to a variety of dif-
ferent media. It generally refers to professional printing from small run jobs to desktop publish-
ing and other digital sources using a large format and or high volume laser or inject printers.
Advantages of Digital Print:
Cost Effective
Without the need to create a plate for every image, small businesses can print small quantities
of brochures, flyers and business cards more cost effectively.
Greener
The elimination of a plate, and almost non-existent make-ready, means you also don’t need all
the other printing materials and waste that go along with them.
Personalisation
Every print can be personalised to include unique content, such as the customer’s name, person-
alised URL and relevant images. Personalising marketing helps improve the response rate be-
cause people are more likely to engage with content that’s relevant to their interests.
High Quality
Indigo Digital quality is now indistinguishable from traditional litho. printing.
Shorter Print Runs
Quick turnaround as the job is produced in its finished format with no additional drying time
required.
Disadvantages of Digital Print:
Longevity
A disadvantage of digital is that the product does not have a coating added; the coating adds to
the longevity of the product and therefore protects it from marking
Toners
Toners are used within digital print, which means cracking can occur when a job is creased or
folded the toners can also result in lamination bubbling or not adhering correctly. This may also
affect additional processes
Usage
There are fewer issues when a printer is used regularly. If it
is not in regular use it’s more likely that the ink drying on the
heads will inturn block the nozzles. If a printer is in regular use
the ink is kept lowing and this can be
avoided.
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