High-quality printed cards, poster, banner or for that matter anything is sure to give better advertising mileage than a print that lacks the luster. People are continually looking for better printing methods to get the desired effect. Technology has advanced and opened up newer vistas. Screen-printing and the digital printing methods have gained immense popularity due to the respective advantages that each offer.
Here is the brief of the distinct advantages and disadvantages that both screen-printing and digital printing have for you to make the perfect choice!
Screen printing advantages:
1. Can be printed on a vast range of material from fabrics like cotton and wool to metals and plastics.
2. The print does not affect the quality of the product allowing it to go straight to the storefront or even
great for promotional purposes.
3. Lasting and durable due to the thickness of the ink and its composition. This type of print can withstand
more stress than any other print type.
4. Images can be scaled up or down, that is, business logos or any other graphic can be scaled according to
needs. They can cover an entire fabric or placed at a corner in a small size.
5. It is a cost-effective method for bulk printing as the screens have to be made for every artwork of color.
6. Screens can be created quickly with the help of photosensitive masks saving time and money while allowing
to create multiple designs.
Screen printing disadvantages:
1. Ink has to be pushed across screens and needs accuracy and smooth gradient of mix.
2. Since several colors can be used, more colors mean more money tending to become expensive.
3. Impractical for small number of orders. Thus, not possible for on-demand printing.
4. Complex printing depending on the type of design and number of colors used.
5. Not an environment-friendly method as it uses a lot of water to mix the ink and clean the screens.
Chemicals from the ink washed out of the factories adversely affect the environment.
Digital printing advantages:
1. Quick and does not create mess.
2. Perfect registration of colors with 100% consistency each time that you print it.
3. No gaps or spaces as in traditional printing methods that tend to leave harsh lines.
4. Does not require the trapping of colors in traditional printing modes that gives a better look.
5. Gives high resolution images with 133 to 155 lines screen.
6. No plates needed that saves money helping you place large quantity for printing.
7. Digital printing uses the CMYK system that is the combination of cyan, magenta, yellow and black to get the
shade closest to your desired color. There are therefore limitations to the exact shade of color that you
can get with digital prints.
Disadvantages of digital printing:
1. Large volumes cost more as the cost of voluminous printing ink is likely to be much more.
2. There are some limitations concerning printing ink like metallic ink do not give the desired output when
placed through digital printing.
3. The ink of digital printing is thinner than screen print and has less durability. Digital ink tends to fade
out in sunlight and thus has lesser longevity than other print colors.
In short it can be concluded that digital printing is good for quick and hassle-free printing for small volumes where you can do with limited choice of colors. Screen printing is good for voluminous printing and when you need bulk quantity too.
