Traditional Screen Printing Operation Becomes "One Stop Shop"

Some screen printers have accepted the large-format inkjet printers and believe that large-format inkjet technology provides them with an effective supplementary process that can help them expand their markets and increase their profitability. A few years ago, the traditional screen printing technology was still the protagonist of the large-format advertising market. When digital inkjet technology emerged, the market conditions changed. When some screen printers feel the threat of digital printing technology, they gradually fade out of this market area. Perhaps, like an artwork, screen printing proudly considers itself an ancient, traditional method of commercial processing. But digital inkjet is completely different. The technology and economical solutions it offers are creating real challenges for screen printers. These challenges include:

Medium and small batch jobs, complex jobs (some complicated formats are not suitable for screen printing), proofing, demanding schedules, and demand for on-demand printing, flat applications (light curtains, architectural exterior coverings) completed in a very short time An analysis report on the number of prints showed that the best print for screen printing was more than 400 copies. The report also pointed out that more demand in the market is less than 200 copies. And there are the following requirements: short version, on-demand, more complicated layout and so on. This is precisely the advantage of large format inkjet technology.

Screen printers are entering this emerging market segment with increased functionality, including small and medium-volume adhesive printing, POP, rigid material printing, and specialty printing. This is not only profitable for them, but also transforms traditional screen printing operations into “one-stop shops” that can provide more services to customers and attract new customers.

Large-format digital inkjet printing can be fully integrated into existing business models, and profits are obvious.

Printing jobs can be started directly from digital files (standard format files). There is no longer a pre-printing cost or a time-consuming screen-printing job. A job takes only a few minutes from execution to completion. The job is queued. When the current job is printing, a new job is scheduled. If the inkjet printer used has a drying device, the previous job is drying and the other is already printing.

Based on a comprehensive consideration of the time (and cost) of preparation prior to printing and the length of the run time, screen printers analyze their business to determine whether it is more economical to use digital or traditional screen printing. We will be able to arbitrarily arrange the amount of the two processes called "critical print", usually, this print is 400 copies. Of course, this is only to ensure that the best profit is obtained, and the nature of the job and the progress of printing time are not taken into account.

"Short version" means as few as one in digital printing. This means that digital inkjet is not only a special form of image, but it has become economically viable even in the retail sector and in various language versions. At the same time, complete prepress software makes roll-to-roll large format printing easy. Of course, digital printing of these features and advantages does not really threaten the survival of screen printing. In addition to transferring short, complex or low-profit (or even unprofitable) jobs to digital printing, screen printing can still fly freely in long, spot, or stereoscopic jobs where they are good at. There is even a combination of digital inkjet printing and screen printing.

Large-format digital inkjet printing can also make space and manpower more efficient. It is easy to manage, no waste. It can print accurately according to the demand, and the color accuracy can also be guaranteed by the ICC profile. Large-format inkjet printers can also provide screen printing with fast, high-quality and accurate proofing on final substrates.

In addition to providing one-stop convenience services to users, large-format inkjet printing can also provide some profitable value-added services. Rapid market response time has become very important in today's society, and digital printing can provide some related extra services for a fee.