I don't think you have grasped the concept of digital short run printing.
1/ The "press" is only as difficult to get right as your desktop inkjet.
2/ The "press" can also be the proofer because you can print one or a thousand with equal ease. The whole idea of proofing and proof matching goes out of the window when the proof and final job are one and the same.
3/ Some of these digital machines are well under the cost of a litho press. More like the cost of an E6 line.
Are there problems and stumbling blocks? Yes. Paper and board is cheaper in big sizes and bought by the ton. The smaller digital systems require expensive guillotining of smaller sheets compared with large scale litho print. Other finishing processes like varnishing are also more expensive on a small scale. It is probably this aspect of finishing costs which will keep me printing most of my stuff by offset litho on big presses.
However many of the operators of the digital "presses" will be offering standard "plans" for designs and layouts which will fit into their paper sizes most economically.
Regards
Bob
On Saturday, October 4, 2003, at 01:36 am, Richard Kenward wrote:
When you go to the print shop to pass the job on press, are you able to handle the situation if the press crew are not achieving the result you require? No good just saying it doesn't seem to really match the proofs or it doesn't look quite right!
Will you have sufficient knowledge to 'suggest' where the error lies and how to correct it? If not you may be in some difficulty, and remember your client is paying you to produce the goods! Will you know when to pull the job and ask them to re-plate? Keep in mind you will be stopping a machine costing upwards of 1million UKP and several operators, not to mention management counting the cost of your fussiness. Not just the cost of course because you will be putting back the jobs scheduled to follow yours! There are other stumbling blocks of course.
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