At Lebone Litho, we offer both litho printing and digital printing services. To help you understand the difference between these two processes, we will compare them in this blog so you can make an informed choice about which method is best for your printing needs.
Digital and Litho Printing: Process
Litho printing involves transferring an image from a metal plate to a rubber blanket, which then transfers the image onto the printing surface ‒ usually paper. Digital printing, on the other hand, uses computer imagery to transfer digital bits from a file onto a printing surface through a digital printing machine.
Digital and Litho Printing: Setup & Cost
Litho printing requires the creation of printing plates through a prepress setup process, which is time-consuming and expensive. However, the cost of litho printing decreases with larger print runs. Digital printing is more cost-effective for printing small batches and offers a quicker turnaround time. However, digital printing becomes significantly more expensive than litho when large print runs are required.
Digital and Litho Printing: Quality
While litho printing has long been renowned for its excellent colour accuracy and high print quality, digital printing has caught up in recent years. Litho printing is excellent at achieving fine details and sharp images with a wide colour gamut. However, digital printing technology has advanced enough to produce similar quality imagery.
Digital and Litho Printing: Consistency
Litho printing is thought to produce better colour consistency across multiple print runs due to its ability to mix and balance colours with more control. While digital printing is very accurate, there can be slight colour variations between runs due to factors such as ink availability, calibrations, and substrate differences.
Digital and Litho Printing: Substrate Versatility
Litho printing is great for printing on a wide range of substrates, including non-paper materials. It can also perform finishes with special inks, such as metallic inks. Digital printing also supports printing on a range of substrates but has some limitations with specialty materials and certain kinds of finishes.
Unlock the potential of your prints with Lebone Litho’s expertise in digital and litho printing. Explore cost-effective solutions, impeccable quality, and versatile substrates.
Whether you need to print brochures or textbooks, we can help you with all your printing needs. Contact us at Leboe Litho today to learn more about the differences between litho printing and digital printing and which is best for your particular needs.
