6 things you should know about offset printing

If you order brochures or catalogs in large quantities, you may sometimes hear that they will be printed on an offset. What does this really mean? What is special in this printing technique? What are its strengths and weaknesses? We asked an experienced printer - Mr. Artur Pupek from the Top Druk printing house. 

1. How is offset print created?

Offset printing is created by transferring a drawing placed on a printing matrix by an intermediate cylinder covered with a rubber jacket to a sheet or ribbon of paper pressed to the intermediate cylinder by a pressure cylinder called a printing cylinder.

Normalnym językiem pisząc oznacza to w praktyce, że ułożenie farby na matrycy określa w jaki sposób zostanie ona ułożona na cylindrze pośrednim, a w konsekwencji – na arkuszu

2.Na jakich powierzchniach oraz w jakim nakładzie  drukuje sie offsetowo?

Currently, you can print almost any flat surface, including coated and uncoated paper, cardboard, foil, cartons or PVC boards.

Offset printing can be done from just one piece, but the cost of such work is relatively high. There is no upper limit of circulation in offset printing.

3. How is the matrix prepared?

On the pre-prepared matrix, pre-sensitized, i.e. coated with a photosensitive layer, the image is processed through a setter's diode system, processed by the RIP program, then the exposed matrix is developed. During this process, the photosensitive layer on the matrix is dissolved and only the areas exposed by the platesetter remain.

4. There are two types of offset printing, so what is the difference between roll and sheet printing ?

Sheetfed printing is printing on cut sheets of paper of certain dimensions, while roll printing is printing on a paper ribbon/roll pulled from a roll.

5. Can we use paper finishing in offset print?

During the printing process, we can use dispersion varnish that protects the print from reflection or abrasion of the print.

After offset printing, we can refine printed sheets by laminating various types of films, placing UV varnish or stamping.

6. Advantages and disadvantages of offset printing.

ADVANTAGES

•  Economical print for medium and large volumes.
• A wide range of printable papers in the range of weights and types.
•    Very high quality in terms of colors and page matching.

DISADVANTAGES

• Uneconomical printing for small quantity.
• Longer time of processing order .
• No personalization of prints..

To sum up, if the order that we want to print will be reproduced in hundreds or thousands of copies and the order does not have to be executed urgently, it will be better to choose offset printing.

Regardless of the type of order at our online shop Topdruk24.pl  the orders fullfilment takes place as soon as possible without undue delay. For example, printing leaflets on gloss paper 130gsm takes us 3 days, in other paper grammatures, production may take a little longer. 

We invite you to take advantage of our offer and the discounts for new customers.