Sheet Fed Printing Versus Web Press Printing

By Author: Brent Durell
Total Articles: 172
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There are different kinds of printing based on the kind of machines used. The most popularly used machines in printing presses are the web press and the sheet fed printing presses. There are different benefits in using both the web press printers and sheet fed printers and so we will look at both of them here. If you are starting a printing business, you can also use this information to weigh what you should buy first, especially if you have limited money for your capital.

By definition, the sheet fed printing means that the printer prints only on cut-sized sheets of paper. Whereas the web press, on the other hand, can take in rolls of paper so that means printing can go on high speed. It does not need to pick up the paper one by one. So printing is much faster with the web press. This also means that printing with the web press is cost effective and it is great to use for those materials that need several pages like magazines and newspapers.

Meanwhile, the sheet fed printers would be ...
... more cost effective and viable for short run printing like those business cards and personalized memo pads and stationeries. Short runs are not good for web presses because the effort that you put into preparing the printing is the same and if you only produce a few pieces, the effort and the energy consumed is not worth it. Both printers have their own uses and advantages. So that means they should be used accordingly.

In terms of color, both kinds of printers can print any color with great detail and clarity. Sometimes it really depends on the materials that were printed. As long as the images are in high-resolution, you should not have a problem, whether you are printing using the web press or the sheet feed press. However, you sheet-fed pressed to have the flexibility of second printing so that you can add more style and colors on what you already printed upon. This is very difficult to do in the web press. Chances are; the registration will be off. Since the color quality can affect both presses, it is up to the operator to control the colors of the printer that he is handling.

As for the paper stock choices, you have more flexibility of printing on heavier paper materials. These can also come in more colors and sometimes patterns so that the paper itself already has a design. So you can blend in your image there. The continuous rolls used for web presses are usually thinner and only come in white. So if you want the entire layout to be in color, it is the printer that will need to print the color onto the paper.

Most modern web presses are able to fold and finish their many print projects, such as the tabloids and newspapers. However, when you use a sheet-fed press, you will need to fold and finish your materials manually. In most printing presses, they really have their own finishing department that handles other complicated finishing requirements like lamination and binding.

Such are the differences between the web presses and the sheetfed printers. If you are going to start a small print shop, then you will be better off with sheetfed printing first. Then if you have enough capital already, then maybe it is time for you to pursue the web press.