Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing: Which is Cheaper?

Screen printing and digital printing are the two primary alternatives when it comes to printing. But which is less expensive? The answer is not simple because it depends on a number of variables, including the quantity, the complexity of the design, the material, and the turnaround time. In general, digital printing is more affordable for smaller runs while screen printing is more affordable for larger runs.

Traditional screen printing involves squeezing ink through a stencil and onto a substrate like fabric, paper, or plastic. It entails a setup process that includes making the stencils, setting them up on the substrate, and getting the ink ready. Each color needs its own stencil. The quantity of products to be printed, the size of the design, and the number of colors used all affect the price of screen printing. The cost per printed item decreases as you print more since the setup cost is dispersed over a larger number of units.

Digital printing, on the other hand, is a contemporary technique that entails printing the design directly onto the substrate using a printer that can handle various materials and colors. Since the design was developed digitally and can be printed on demand, there is no setup procedure needed. The size of the design, the material, and the quantity of things to be printed all affect how much a digital print will cost. As the printer uses more ink and takes longer to print each item, the cost per item increases as you print more pages.

Which one is thus less expensive for you? Screen printing is likely to be less expensive if you need to print more goods, such as t-shirts, bags, or banners, because the setup cost can be divided among many items. However, because digital printing can be done on demand and doesn’t require a setup fee, it is probably more affordable if you only need to print a small number of products, such as business cards, brochures, or stickers.

Can you now make your own silkscreens? The answer is yes, however there are some tools and abilities needed. Ink, emulsion, a light source, a screen, a squeegee, ink, and a design are all required. The screen must also be coated with emulsion, exposed to light, washed off, aligned on the substrate, and then the ink must be forced through the stencil. Although it can be a profitable and enjoyable process, it also calls for persistence and practice.

In conclusion, how does silk screening operate? Making a design on a transparent or opaque surface, like paper or film, is the first step in the process. The image is then printed onto a mesh screen that has been coated in a light-sensitive emulsion. When the screen is exposed to light, the emulsion hardens everywhere but the design, leaving a stencil. Washing away the unhardened emulsion leaves the stencil accessible for the ink to pass through. A squeegee is used to force ink through the stencil after the screen has been positioned correctly on the support. For every color and substrate, the ink is dried or cured, depending on the kind of ink and the substance.