Digital printing needs no screens, 1-meter minimum, 5-7 day delivery; traditional needs screens, high minimums, longer lead time. Choose by order profile.
The core difference between digital and traditional printing (rotary, flat-screen) is screening. Digital jets from a file with no screens; traditional prints after making screens. This decides minimums, lead time, design count and small-batch cost.
| Dimension | Digital | Traditional Rotary/Flat |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | No screens | Screens needed (costly, slow) |
| Minimum | 1-meter, free sampling | Often hundreds of meters |
| Lead time | 5-7 working days | Screening+production, 15-30 days |
| Design count | Unlimited, change per meter | Limited by repeat and screens |
| Color | 8 inks, 16.7M, ΔE<1.5 | Limited color stations |
| Small-batch cost | Low (no screen amortization) | High (screen amortized) |
Traditional printing amortizes screen cost per meter; larger runs are cheaper but small runs are uneconomical. Digital has no screen fee, 1-meter minimum, friendly for small batches; per-meter cost at huge volume is slightly higher but saves screens and minimums.
Digital delivers in 5-7 days, sampling 1-2 days, fit for e-commerce replenishment and new-product trials. Traditional depends on screens, 15-30 days, fit for large stable runs.
Both reach grade 4+ fastness. Digital achieves high fidelity via ICC management; traditional is limited by color stations. Wide-format digital also prints seamless, hard for traditional narrow machines.
Summary: digital wins on flexibility and fast response; traditional wins on large-volume cost. Choose one per order, or combine.
For small batches digital is cheaper (no screens). For huge single-design runs traditional per-meter cost is lower. Choose by order.
No screens; jets from file, 5-7 days. Traditional needs screens first, 15-30 days overall.
Grade 4+, with high fidelity via ICC management, same level as traditional.
Digital: 1-meter minimum, free sampling, no screen barrier.
Wide-format digital prints in one pass up to 320CM; traditional narrow machines need joining.