On Short Production Runs, Digital Printing offers a Lower Cost per Book than traditional Offset Printing
Digital Printing Can Offer a Lower Cost per Book for Short Runs
As a general rule, digital printing offers a lower unit cost than offset printing for short book runs, such as 200 or 300 copies. This is because digital printing has very little setup cost for each production run.
Unlike offset printing, digital printing does not require printing plates. That means there is no plate creation expense. Digital jobs also need very little make-ready time and only a few adjustments before printing begins. With lower setup costs, short-run books often cost less per book when printed digitally.
Why Offset Printing Is Usually Not the Best Choice for Short Runs
Offset printing requires plates, more prep time, and more adjustments before production can begin. These plate charges and higher setup costs can raise the unit cost on a small run because they are spread across only a limited number of books.
As the order size grows, such as 500 or 1,000 books, offset printing often becomes the more cost-effective choice. Even though the setup costs are higher, they can be spread over more books. Once the press is running, the cost of printing each book is usually lower than with digital printing. That is why offset printing often becomes more economical as quantities increase.
Digital for Short Runs, Offset for Larger Runs
The exact quantity that makes one method more economical than the other will depend on the project. But as a general rule, digital printing is usually the better choice for smaller book orders, while offset printing is often the better choice for larger orders.
If you have an upcoming book project, contact Formax Printing at 866-367-6221. We offer both digital and offset printing services, and we can help you choose the most economical option for your project. We can also suggest other ways to save money.
Take care! Rick
