I am often asked about the differences between screen printing and digital printing. So, I thought I would use this opportunity to discuss the advantages of each process and how to determine which to use.
Screen printing is a stencil process that has been used for hundreds of years whereas digital printing as we know it has only been around since the 1990’s. Created centuries apart each method has unique advantages and your decision should be based on which criteria are most important for your unique situation.
Screen printing is well suited to larger quantities and images that require solid or critical color images. The inks can be matched to any color including fluorescent and metallic colors that cannot be produced digitally and offer excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates.
A separate piece of film and a screen, or “stencil” must be created for each color then mounted in the press and registered to the previously printed color. Once the initial set up processes have been completed the number of prints per hour is much higher than digital which reduces cost on larger runs. Although labor intensive, the process lays down a thick film of ink that is durable, vibrant and weather resistant.