Printing digital on an offset background?

[Matt2364]

I do a lot of prints that need to be printed on a chalkboard background. Currently I am having them all printed by an offset printer but I have to order MOQ 1k of each print to make the pricing really work out. I was hoping I would be able to print a ton of the background's and get them cut and printed with an offset and then just print the remaining part directly on the offset print.

Here is an example of the prints I am working with so the only thing I would be adding would be the white portion and I would be printing directly onto an offset print of the background.




What do you guys think and what would you recommend for a large format printer for something like this? How do you think the quality would be versus having the whole thing printed on an offset?

 

[jonprintz]

While the project that you propose is doable but it may not be as practical as you would think. There are a lot of variables that are going to affect the dual print process that can be overcome but will need to be done the same way each time prints are produced for you. You may run into registration issues on the digital press during the overprint process. This will be minimized if the printer that you use produces both the shell and the overprint sheets. The digital inks will generally adhere well but you may need an AQ primer coating put onto the litho print when it is produced. Expect to do several rounds of testing to find what works and then follow that process exactly each time. Testing does cost $$$ and time but depending on quantities and frequency may save $$$ in the long run.

What may yield best results is to have shells printed of the background and stored in untrimmed sheets. Come back and overprint those same sheets on the same press when you are ready for the second image. This would simplify the complete process. Climate controlled storage of the printed shells would be necessary.

 

[kdw75]

What size?

 

[Correct Color]

Matt,

You can do it, but the machine to do it with isn't going to be cheap. While there are solvent printers that spray white ink that start around thirty grand or so, getting your printed image through them would be difficult, they're painfully slow, and since they're so slow and cantankerous and since very few people even use them, I can't say I'm sure if you'd get the kind of opacity you'd need.

You can with a UV flatbed though.

Machines out there to consider would be made by HP, CET, or Oce/Fuji.

Pricing would be in the 125/350 grand range.


Mike Adams
Correct Color

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

I could have swore this was posted about 1 or 2 months ago. It seems he posted in a few different sections with differently worded posts.