Digital printing more cost effective
Digital printing more cost effective
Rangga Ivananda, Contributor, Jakarta
Digital printing technology is a continuation of digital imaging. Once digital imaging is completed on a computer, its result can be then printed on digital printers.
Various printed materials, such as company profiles, presentation sheets, calendars, posters and the like for certain businesses are printed only in limited quantities, which would be costly if printed by conventional printing companies. For these items, when the quantity is relatively small, the specific services of digital printing companies, such as Innograph and Subur Mitra Grafistama, for instance, can be very useful.
Established in 1994, Innograph started out as a pre-printing desktop publishing and digital proofing company and later expanded its services with digital printing that utilizes thermal inkjet technology. Since the middle of 1995, it has also been serving orders for large size prints using the Electrostatic Color Printer and Laminating as well as Image Processor technology, which consists of software that is capable of enlarging and digitally printing small-sized graphics to huge prints on various media while retaining the original fine resolution and colors.
Another company in the digital printing business is Subur Mitra Grafistama. In its early days in 1977, the company founded by its owner, Soesono Boenarso, soon became established as an integrated printing company with a network of dozens of printing shops spread all over Jakarta. Due to the rising demand from its customers for various communications materials in small quantities -- between 50 and 200 sets -- its management decided on the use of digital printers.
"This way we have been able to cater to any size of order and still maintain high quality," said Denny Murniadi, the manager of its digital printing division.
Subur bought its first digital printer -- an Indigo Turbostream -- in 1996. This equipment has the capability of full color printing at the speed of 1,000 copies per hour. The management's commitment to enhancing its digital business was next manifested by the purchase of newer printers, one of which was a Heidelberg Quickmaster DI 46-4, a high speed color printer capable of producing up to 5,000 copies per hour. Soon other equipment followed, such as the Xerox Docutech and Xerox DocuColor 2060.
"With these Xerox machines, we could serve customers who required only one or two posters, leaflets and so forth. The days of minimum orders were over," said Denny, adding that 60 percent of his clients were advertising agencies. The company also caters to those wishing to have their own personal or family calendars or personalized calendars with photos of office staff or special dates of birthdays marked in red. Subur also has another special division that prints greeting cards that can be further personalized with photos or inserted with photo prints.
Today, most clients do their own digital imaging prior to ordering companies like Innograph and Subur to carry out the final digital printing. However, for those requiring creative work like designing from zero up to finish or just revision on their existing graphics, these companies have the necessary equipment and personnel to provide the solutions.
Among the numerous benefits of digital printing is, obviously, its cost. It becomes very cost effective as one can order just the exact quantity one needs at any one time, with further reprints being possible anytime later. Besides cost, speed is another asset of digital printing.
"Most of our customers are often under time pressures, but thanks to our latest digital equipment, we can always meet the deadlines," Denny said.
The entire process has become much easier and quicker. As with the client's diskettes, CD-Roms and the like, which can be conveniently e-mailed, the printing is meticulously executed in almost no time with high quality.
With the existence of digital printing companies such as Innograph and Subur, their clients have benefited from massive cost savings as they do not have to invest huge funds in digital printers and the related manpower.