Cardboard printing techniques
At Jamnik, we specialize in offset printing, while we do not perform the other presented printing techniques ourselves. The comparison is therefore primarily intended to facilitate the understanding of the differences between individual technologies and the selection of the most suitable solution for an individual product.
Customers often wonder what the difference is between the three most common packaging printing techniques. On this page, we present the advantages and disadvantages of each technology, keeping in mind that the data provided are general guidelines that may vary depending on the type and age of the machine and the selected printing material.
As technology in all printing techniques is constantly evolving, the information provided applies to most machines in our environment, but does not cover all the possibilities available on the market today.
| Printing technology | Offset printing | Flexographic printing | Digital printing (production) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image transfer to the material | indirect | indirect | direct |
| Printing form | CTP plate | polymer printing plate | no printing form required |
| Optimal print run | 1,000 units and above | 1,000 units and above | up to 1,000 units |
| Main applications | all types of carton packaging, printed materials, magazines … | corrugated cardboard packaging, displays … | printed materials, posters, packaging … |
| Materials printed on | solid board, paper | corrugated cardboard, films (plastic, aluminium …) | solid board, paper |
| Print quality | highest, sharp | lowest, less sharp | comparable to offset printing (but slightly lower) |
| Positioning, accuracy | precise (0.5 mm deviation) | lower accuracy (1–2 mm deviation) | precise (0.5 mm deviation) |
| Možnost dodelave z laki | many options | limited use of varnishes | limited, mostly without protective coating |
| Izbor barv | all colours (CMYK + Pantone) | widest colour selection (CMYK + Pantone) | smallest colour selection (CMYK + orange, violet, green) – no Pantone colours |
| Debelina tiskovine | up to 1 mm | can also exceed 5 mm | up to 0.7 mm |
| Začetni stroški, stroški priprave | slightly lower than flexographic printing | highest | lowest |
| Primerjava cen | slightly more expensive than flexographic printing (plates need to be replaced after a certain print volume) | most economical for high-volume runs (faster, printing plates have a longer lifespan) | significantly more expensive than offset and flexographic printing for high-volume runs |
