Digital printing is a method for reproducing digital images from electronic data from a hard drive, digital media device, or a computer. This data is transmitted directly to the print head through a continuous flow. Digital printing has three key features: The document can be instantly reproduced on the print surface, The image data can be altered for every successive edition, thus allowing for illustrations and texts to be replaced whenever required, and The output of the process can either be an analog signal or a digital one. Digital printing can be used for different purposes like business card printing, poster printing, sign printing, flyers, banners, envelopes, software packaging, and the likes.
Print companies adopt different printing methods for different purposes. While some companies use thermal printing or inkjet printing, others prefer direct digital printing machines to produce their output faster. Below is a list of common printing methods used by most print companies.
Thermal Transfer Digital Printing The thermal transfer digital printing machine uses heat from a hot plate or a kiln in order to transfer printouts from an electronic image to a medium that absorbs heat. The printed image is transferred onto the medium with the help of the heat from the heat source. The printing process uses ink droplets where the dyes are fused onto the surface of the paper or other materials to be printed. The ink droplets are released at a predetermined rate, which depends on the requirements of the customer, and then they are collected by the print head after the required amount of time.
Digital inkjet printing The digital Inkjet Printing Machine use inks with specific thicknesses, which are electronically printed on the surface of the paper or other materials. The inks are dispersed onto the material using the electronic sprayer or droplets of ink are forced through the channel by the dropper. The ink droplets are collected by the electronic screen after the required time, and the document is then printed with the help of the imaging process. This method is used for high-quality prints.
Digital Textile Printing (DTP) uses the reproduction of digital images on fabrics with the help of a fiberoptic computer. Most commonly, the DTP fabric is used for apparel and cosmetic items such as bedding, curtains, pillows, and tablecloths etc. It is also used to create large scale fabrications for the production of furniture and interior design. The DTP process involves three basic steps. First, the pattern or design is created using a fiberoptic computer; the design is digitized using a laser or any other types of inkjet printer; and the textured pattern is printed using the fiberoptic computer.
Digital Inkjet printing (DIGI) uses a small droplets of ink containing digital particles. The ink droplets are propelled onto the fabric by a special nozzle. The droplets of ink are collected by a special screen and the document is printed in short runs using a standard inkjet printer.
Digital Single Roll (DSR) Printing In a DSR printing process, a single roll of paper is printed with the help of a rotary copier. Each sheet is printed by running a single print job from the printer. The process eliminates the need of several machines to run the job. Also, the reduced cost of the process makes it economical. However, the printing output is usually lower than the results obtained from the other types of printing.
Varied Data Printing Variable data printing (VDPR) is one of the modern printing techniques that make use of digital technology. The printed information is variable in nature i.e. it is either part of a series or a file. It is printed either in full color or in grayscale. Digital VDR printing makes use of digital images or digitized images to create an image or to print a specified number of copies of an image using a digital camera.
