How a Digital Printing Press Works

Since printing technology was first developed, people have continually worked to refine the technology. Recently, the computer age has brought the development of the digital printing press. This process eliminates the need for the creation of individually made printing plates, and it is able to produce documents at a much faster rate.

The Role of Computers

Digital printing presses are always controlled by a computer. This computer is responsible for the vast majority of the printing process. The user will input their desired text or images to be printed, and the computer will create the pattern. While the process of creating a pattern is different in a digital printing press, it is still an important step in the printing process. Yet, this step in the process has been the most transformed by advances in technology.

Creation of the Pattern

Once the object to be printed has been entered into the computer, the computer will almost instantly create the pattern for the ink. This step is referred to as ablation, and this is the heart of the digital printing process. Through ablation, the computer transposes the image to be printed onto a silicon and polyester plate. A laser is used to remove the top layer of silicon, and this exposes the layer of polyester underneath. The polyester can then absorb ink and transfer it to paper.

Digital Printing Presses Versus Traditional Printing Presses

Digital printing presses pose numerous advantages over their traditional counterparts. The most noticeable difference between the two is the cost difference. Digital printing presses are able to print for less than half the cost of traditional printing presses. Additionally, due to computerization, digital printing presses are able to print at a much faster rate.