When determining which print process to use for your print job, we know things can get a bit confusing! Screen print, litho print, digital print… each have their best-given applications depending on your requirements, and that’s before we get into ‘finishing’ like folding/lamination/manufacture, but we’ll save that for another post!
Many factors influence which print process we decide to employ to get the best result, and KSP are ideally placed to offer you a diverse range of end products that we manufacture in-house. But before we can get started, we thought it would be useful to give you a checklist of things that we’ll need to know. Don’t worry if you haven’t got every bit of detail or are a little unsure; we’ll be happy to talk you through everything.
Your print specifications checklist:
- Quantity required
- Dimensions
- The end use of the product
- How long has it got to last
- Material preference
- Indoor or outdoor use
- Your budget (price/quality/timescale factors)
- Timescales
- Do you need help with design/engineering?
KSP have been producing Screen, Digital and Litho printed products since April 1985, so we have a wealth of knowledge to be able to advise you on the best print process and materials for your job. You can count on our wealth of experience – there’s not much we’ve not produced over the years, but we appreciate that everyone’s requirements are different!
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but here’s a breakdown of the main print processes, along with some of the considerations we’d take into account when advising which to use:
We’d usually recommend screen printing when the following factors apply:
- Much higher opacity ink or special ink finishes
- Excellent quality of ink adhesion to the substrate
- The longevity of the end product
- Most suited to single or limited number of colours
- Print runs generally shorter (although not always!)
- Pantone or specific colour matching is critical
- Light colours are required onto dark materials
- Light fastness for outdoor use is critical
We’d generally recommend digital printing when the following factors apply:
- You require a small amount – down to just 1 item (but can be thousands!)
- Very quick turnaround required
- Very accurate colour matches aren’t required
- More artwork variations are required
We’d generally recommend litho printing when the following factors apply:
- Larger quantities
- Print reproduction is paramount
- Unit cost has to be low
- Item to be printed is flat
Don’t worry if some of this seems complicated or confusing – that’s what the team at KSP are here for! We will help you select the most appropriate print process, so get in-touch to find out how we can help you get the very best out of your next print job.