Printing Services - Over The Years

By Dean Smith

Print medium is a popular && powerful way of disseminating info to numerous different types of individuals, and can be seen even these days. Over the years the printing services industry has grown immensely & has reached its present form of a diversified industry. Today it addresses a wide range of needs of clients, which goes much beyond printing.

Bulk printing services through relief printing technology began during the--00's when the world's very first printing press was invented by Gutenberg. A slight elevation of the printed image from the background, like it is in a rubber stamp, is a key feature of relief printing. Relief printing is rarely in use nowadays, though there are still some instances where it is used.

Printing techniques have changed radically down the years, and these transformations have been driven by upcoming of newer technologies. There are many kinds of printing methods available today and each has its own use. Most customers are in fact dazed by the plethora of printing options before them.

Offset printing is a well known printing method preferred by most printers these days. In this technique, the image is transferred onto paper from a metal plate on which the image is first printed by the use of limited amount of ink. This type of printing is quite cost effective and quick, and it is usually preferred when big quantities of prints are required.

Other printing techniques that have come up with advancements in technology are electrostatic printing, which is akin to photocopying, and thermal printing, which uses a procedure of selective heating of coated thermal paper.

However, digital printing is the newest printing method that is getting a lot of popularity. As the name suggests it uses a computer to create an image, which is then analysed and if found to be accurate, printed onto paper. This mode is fast and flawless, but is suitable mostly for small volumes. As the printer can customize each print in this method, it can be employed for computer form printing, where documents such as receipts or bills can be printed for different customers, with each having an identical format but varying contents.

Printing services took another leap when the internet started gaining popularity. Most printing companies run their own websites that allow 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 reason.

Printing has always taken quantum evolutionary jumps with the progress in technology. The best thing about this trend is that it will continue well into the future and keep improving the performance and cost effectiveness of printing services.

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