PROs: Very cheap unit cost, very quick for large order, stable result and good for sophisticated logo.
CONs: Expensive setup charge, slow prototype and delivery time for small order quantity.
NEXT: Best option: if quantity is small better use #OD Digital Printing.
ART: Vectorise (.eps) or high definition 300 DPI, 2/1 (200%) scale artwork ( .ai/.psd/.pdf/.jpg..etc )
With setup charge of USD 150.00, and refund for 10K, offset printing is an expensive and slow (7 to 10 days) logo process for small order quantity. Offset printing is suitable for large order quantity ( over 10K pcs ) where it has the cheapest cost per piece and the quickest turnaround.
Offset also allow for sophisticated multicolor logo & gradient colors, with a stable quality result enabling large quantity of item to have exactly the same color shade and position.
Offset is a printer industry process using cmyk ( Cyan Magenta Yellow blacK ) 4 primary colors to create photo like full color printing with potentially millions of colors using large machine, like the one used in media, to print magazine and catalog.
The printing is made first on large & flat sheet usually of about 1 square meter. After printing, we punch the metal plate to cut out piece item out of the plate. Offset printing item are therefore not plated of anodized, nor can they be done of stock, but only made to order.
For a longer shelf life and un-scratch able logo, it is recommended to cover the offset with epoxy.
Epoxy is a transparent layer dome put on top of the printing by hand.
It is however import to note that epoxy is not UV resistant and will get yellowish very quickly especially if put outside under the sun light like retails items, gift & souvenir and license on tower display.
Whenever epoxy cannot be applied, like the case of trolley coin keychain, we strongly recommend to use a UV coating, which is a kind of transparent fine layer of varnish to protect the printing against easy scratching.
QCS China (QCS’s factory in China), we subcontract offset printing to professional printer.
We have a few printer with whom we have been cooperating, for some, for more than 20 years.
Like most other aspect we choose the right and most suitable printer depending the case and customer needs.
Anywhere between foreign invested, (Taiwan & Hong Kong), large setup, ISO & MRP run process, for large quantity and/or high requirement license items, to local, smaller setup, with cheaper result if you are broken to the (QC) process to managing and controlling them to avoid bad quality.
