Since being introduced in the early 1990s, digital printing has completely transformed the landscape of conventional printing methods. One of the many benefits of digital printing is that the quality of each print is consistent regardless of the number of prints in a run. This is especially important for businesses that require a large batch, since digital printing guarantees that the very last poster, flyer, or brochure will look the same as the first. Even if you rely on a digital printing company in San Diego for your personal or commercial printing needs, you might still be interested to find out just how these incredible printers work.
File/Image Conversion
Regardless of what you’re printing, the first step in the digital printing process is the conversion of the file or image into a raster graphics image, or bit map. Common examples of bit map file types are BMP, TIFF, and JPEG. If you aren’t sure how raster image processing works, the shop handling your digital prints will convert your files or images to a raster graphics image.
Toner and Paper
Digital printers use a fine, negatively-charged, plastic-based powder known as “toner.” This ink is manufactured by mixing black or colored pigment with molten polymer then crushing the mixture in a milling process. The paper used for digital prints must be formulated to react appropriately to heat, pressure, and the chemistry of the specific toners. A digital printing company can help you select the right type of paper for your particular product (flyers, manuals, brochures, postcards, etc.)
Laser Printing
There are various digital printing devices that use a variety of different technologies to create the image. One of the most popular methods is laser printing. Based on the x and y coordinates from the bit map, a laser beam exposes an electrically charged photoreceptor which causes the toner particles to transfer to the paper or card stock. The toner is then fused to the paper by passing through hot rollers.
Replica Digital Print & Copy is your ultimate source for digital printing in San Diego. From marketing materials and corporate publications to presentation sheets and more, our digital printing experts can deliver. Call us at (858) 366-4767 to learn more about our printing services.