When it comes to spreading information to a huge number of individuals, no other medium is more popular than print. The modern form of the printing services industry is a result of years of change and development in printing styles and processes. Today it can fulfil almost any requirement of the customers related to printing and its ancillary requirements.
Bulk printing services through relief printing technology originated during the 1400’s when the world’s first printing press was invented by Gutenberg. A slight elevation of the printed matter from the background, like in a rubber stamp, is a key characteristic of relief printing. This kind of printing has however gone almost out of use these days, though not completely obsolete.
The industry has seen radical changes in the printing methods used, and these innovations were usually driven by progress in technology. Modern printing techniques have advanced to a great extent, and each technique has its own role and function. In fact, most customers now feel puzzled with the printing alternatives available in the industry.
One of the most popular printing techniques in the market today is offset printing. This method uses a restricted amount of ink to print the matter on metal plates first and then it transfers it onto paper. This kind of printing is quite inexpensive and quick, and it is often preferred when large quantities of prints are needed.
Other popular forms of printing that have developed over time are electrostatic printing, which can be compared to photocopying, and thermal printing, which creates the print by heating coated thermal paper selectively.
However, the latest innovation in printing technology is digital printing. As is evident from its name, it includes image creation and editing on a computer, and then this computer generated image is eventually printed after review. But this fast and trustworthy method works best in situations where only a small number of prints is required. As the printer can customize each print in this method, it can be used for computer form printing, where items such as receipts or bills can be printed for different customers, with each having the same format but varying contents.
Printing services took another dimension when the world wide web started gaining popularity. Most printing firms have their own websites that permit clients to easily place orders and study designs and specimens, without them having to go all the way to the firm’s premises for this purpose.
Printing has always taken giant leaps every time there has been a technological advancement. The great news is that this trend of progress is going to continue unabated in the future as well, ushering in favourable advancements to enhance efficiency and lower costs.