Offset printing is one of the most common printing methods used for producing high quality, consistent color prints with premium finish touches as well. Either you are printing business cards, flyers, brochures or premium catalog and packaging solutions; Offset printing still remains the best option.
Either it is your start up or corporate setting; Shaheen Advertising provides years of experience and expertise in offset printing in Dubai and UAE. THis guide will help you understand all you need to know about offset printing and also answer the question that despite digital printing advancement why offset printing still remains relevant.
What is the Process of offset printing ?
Before moving on to why offset printing is still relevant, first we will understand what is actually offset printing. Offset printing is a process where first ink of design is prepared then it is moved to a rubber blanket and then to the surface where you need printed stuff on and that is paper or card stock. So to understand basically process is like this:
| Step 1; Plate creation to Inking and dampening. | Digital design is separated according to CMYK color mode. It is then printed on metal plates and metal plates are photos Respective color image area attract ink and blank area attract water |
| Step 2; Transferring to Rubber blanket. | These plates then move prints to a rubber blanket cylinder. Actually this specific part of the process is called offset and it gives a smooth and consistent color. |
| Step 3; Printing on paper. | Then paper passes through the press and from rubber blanket cylinder the print is then transferred to the paper And as there were four color CMYK so paper goes through press four times; one for each color. |
| Step 4; Finishing touch | After printing a light powder or coating is done on the paper to avoid the problem of smudging. |
Printing Plates, Ink, color & Rubber: How Offset Printing Works
Printing plates: Printing is basically aluminum or metal plates and design is separated into four layers and four plates are created.
Ink: In offset printing;there are four inks used mainly commonly called CMYK color. Design is separated into these layers according to these 4 inks.
Color: Color is actually what you see after printing is completed as several colors are made by combining layers of these four colors in offset printing.
Rubber: Here rubber means rubber blanked cylinder. From plates first ink image is transferred to rubber which then presses it evenly onto the paper and as ink is transferred offset to rubber plate, that is why it is called offset printing.
Types of Offset printing
There are mainly two types of offset printing:
Web offset printing:
This is also known as web offset lithography. Large sets of paper rolls are printed throughout the process. This process can produce 3000 prints per minute. Web set printing is ideal for bulk printing with tight deadline schedules like Newspapers, packaging boxes, catalogs.
Sheet-Fed offset printing:
Instead of rolls, individual paper sheets are fed to the printers however it can still produce 12000 to 24000 per hour. It is ideal for short run printing like brochures, Flyers and stationary.
Offset Printing Machines Used in the UAE
In UAE and Dubai the main offset printing machines used by leading printing are Ryobi, Komori, Heidelberg.
Ryobi is known for its automation which has a touch screen , automated plate recharge system and speed of producing 18000 prints per hour.
Heidelberg is another printing machine which is commonly used for commercial printing like packaging and high volume printing. Heidelberg is one of the old printing machines which is known for its high speed, strong built and clear and good quality result.
Komori has an automated setup system, which reduces make ready times. It has energy saving printing features with a focus on premium quality printing. Komori can print 13000 copies per hour.
Manroland is also an automated setup system like automated plate setup, Plate loading and washing with reduced setup time overall. Mainly it is used for high volume printing which need high quality and consistency.
What is the difference between Offset Printing vs Digital Printing?
Cost per unit:
In offset printing per unit cost decreases with increase in volume of print. If you need bulk printing offset printed per unit cost will be much less than digital printing. While for digital printing the per unit cost is the same and does not go up or down with quantity.
Material option
Offset printing material option is wide you can do any kind of premium finishes like; textured, metallic, metal or plastic. Digital printing also has finish options but there may be some limitations when too thick or thin material comes across.
Customization
In offset printing the customization in small quantities or each piece is not cost efficient because bulk orders are cost effective. However, in digital printing each piece can be customized and there will be no much burden on cost.
Color Matching
Offset printing uses actual pre-mixed color formulas for color matching and it results in exact tone matching. Offset uses different speciality inks for metallic and neon colors and it is difficult to get exact in digital printing. In digital printing the CMYK color process is a four color process and cannot get all color tones exactly as the digital design.
Pros and Cons of Offset Printing
| Pros | Cons |
| Offset printing can print on different kinds of paper type and can do a lot more finishing types than digital printing. E.g metallic and plastic printing can be done in offset printing | However, every piece will be identical unlike digital printing, you cannot add name and place in a single run and single design and details will be printed in a single run. |
| Offset printing is cost effective and cheaper for Bulk order and large runs. | But, as there is initial cost; machine and plate set up, and time needed work so offset printing is not suitable for small quantity printing. |
| As offset printing involves oil based inks and due to that the result of offset printing is long-lasting and does not easily fade. | While offset printing has an edge in the printing world to achieve exact color tone, offset printing also comes with a cost of having experienced technicians who know how to manage ink, plate setup and achieving exact ink formulation. |
Why Choose Shaheen Advertising for Offset Printing?
As we have discussed earlier in the pros and cons of Offset printing that this method has exceptional results which cannot be accurately achieved in Digital printing but it needs experience in craftsmanship, so Shaheen Advertising have offset and traditional printing experts who know how to mix traditional methods with modern upgraded technology and get the best result.
We have upgraded offset machines and a team of experts make sure that each printed batch meets the highest standard which are precision, sharp colors, material, color consistency and on time delivery as well.
Our popular offset printing project includes:
- Business cards and Corporate stationary.
- Brochures printing, Flyers and Catalogs.
- Sticker printing, Magazines, Catalogs, Reports, Manuals.
- Premium Packaging.
- Marketing and campaign Materials.
Is Offset Printing Right for You?
Yes you can get confuse that do i really need offset printing so i have made a checklist for you if you have any of these requisitions or needs you should go for offset printing:
- Do you need to print in Bulk or large quantities? Then go for offset printing because you will get a very low per unit cost as compared to Digital printing.
- Do You want premium finishing in your prints like gold foiling, Embossing or debossing? The answer is offset printing.
- Do you want to use special ink in your printing like metallic , gold/silver, or fluorescent ink? If yes then your choice should be offset printing.
- Do you have some colors in your design that you think or tried getting exact through digital printing but cannot get exact color tone? If yes then go for Offset printing because in this traditional printing method (PMS) Panton Matching System is used which can get any color accurately.
- The paper type you want to print on is too thick or not even paper like plastic or metallic? The answer is offset printing because it is specially a distinction of Offset printing method that it can print on versatile material.
FAQS
What kind of inks are used in offset printing?
Offset printing uses oil based colors (CMYK ink) which are durable and cannot easily get smudged and fade. Offset printing uses inks which are environmentally friendly for example in UAE, Dubai and Sharja; offset printing has got inks which works best in heat and can last long outdoors as well. Offset printing can also use special inks like metallic ; gold/silver and fluorescent inks on demand.
What is another name for offset printing?
Yes , Offset printing has another name; lithographic printing or litho printing. Offset printing is also called traditional printing because of its process which is traditional where first plates are prepared and then ink is transferred from plate to rubber and then to paper.
What is 4-color offset printing and why is it standard?
The 4 colors in CMYK are Cyan, Magenta,Yellow, Key (Black). These four colors are used and mixed together layer after layer to make a range of whole different colors. This 4 color process is considered as industry standard because firstly these four only can combinely make millions of different shades, secondly when producing large quantities like brochures, flyers etc it is cost effective and efficient enough to create a natural looking image from these four only.
Which is better for brochures? digital printing or offset?
This will depend upon your quantity. Offset printing produces sharp and exact tone matching color print but only cost effective when printing in bulk so if you need a similar brochure in bulk offset is your efficient option. However if you need brochures with customized information like different bar code and name change or you just need brochures in small quantity like 100, 500 then digital printing is your go to option.
