Flexography or Offset Printing: Which one is best?

Are you a business owner but lack strong offline presence?

In today’s century having small or large business is not a big deal, but what’s more important to have strong online as well as offline presence. Online occurrence can be achieved easily with the help of software or internet marketing techniques. What about for offline presence? For offline existence, traditional way to get famous is via printing & distributing brochures, pamphlets etc. Furthermore, process of printing has been enhanced with latest, innovative and easy to use technology.

These days various types of printing process available. Let’s discuss two most popular printing techniques such as offset printing and flexographic printing.

Flexographic or Flexo Printing

Process of Flexo Printing: – This is a relief printing technique that uses rubber or soft plastic plates, a simple inking system and fast drying inks. To print image by Flexographic printing, it uses inked plate with finest colors after that inked image is transferred to the printing surface. This way of printing can be used for both porous and non-porous materials.

Uses: –

1. This type of printing is used to print paper, plastics, metals, cellophane, newsprint, chip, linerboard, coated boards, catalogs, shopping bags and many other materials.
2. Packaging and labels printing are mainly done using flexographic technique.

Benefits/Advantages:-

a.) Versatility: – It used conventional solvent-based printing inks for printing but also versatile with water-based, UV-curable, fluorescent and metallic inks.

b.) High Speed Production: – One of the important feature in flexo printing is fast production. As it uses low-viscosity, fast-drying inks, cleanup processes which in turn increase printing speed.

c.) Lower Costs: – The high-volume and high-speed production in flexography printing makes it significantly cheaper than other printing process. Parts and maintenance costs are also lower.

Offset Printing or Offset Lithography

Process of Offset Printing : In offset printing process, aluminum printing plate is used. When the plate is inked, only image part holds ink. The image is then transferred from the printing plate to a rubber blanket and then to the paper.

Uses :

This type of printing is used to print paper, cardboard, plastic, wood, cloth, metal, leather, Brochures or other materials but these materials should have flat surface.

Benefits/Advantages:-

a.) Versatility: – Offset printing is flexible with paper, cloth, leather, metal, plastic and wood.

b.) Speed:-Speed is comparatively high as it print simultaneously on both sides of the paper.

c.) Costs: – Offset printing is cheaper for large projects as the cost goes down with quantity. Most of the expense of printing with offset comes from setup.

Now you know both flexographic and offset printing process, uses and advantages. Depending upon your requirement, package and material you can select any suitable printing technique.

Still in confusion and Need help. Contact Leo Designs & Packaging for your printing requirements.

Follow Leo Designs on Linkedin