Offset or digital printing?

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Offset or digital printing?

For a thesis, there are two main ways to produce a book, namely the traditional sheet-fed offset printing, and a digitally printed book. In Offset printing we use printing inks on a volatile base, after drying the ink creates an indelible print on the paper. With digital printing, we dont use ink but a toner containing carbon. Using heat, the toner is fixed on paper, a process which is reversible, so to speak.

In sheetfed offset we use large sheets of paper which contain in a single pass up to 32 pages. In digital printing, the book is printed page by page. This technique is thus especially suitable for books with a low print run, for example below 200 copies, and with a shorter lifespan (glued finish). The traditional printed and finished book is preferable in runs of 200 copies and more. The technical lifetime of a sewn book is many decades long. Pages that are sewn can not come loose from the back, something that will eventually affect a digital book.

Both kinds of printing have their advantages and disadvantages. These include:

	Offset print	Digital print
initial costs	high	low
kinds of paper to choose from	unlimited choice of papers	very limited
cost of extra copies	very low	no difference between the first copy and extra copies
print run up to 100 copies	very expensive	relatively cheap
print run of 100-200 copies	moderate	relatively cheap
print run >200 copies	relatively cheap	relatively expensive
finish	sewn (paperbound or hardcover)	glued

Sewn Paperbound

The pages of a book can be kept together in a number of ways. One of the most widly used is the staple in the back of booklets and magazines. In a book this is not possible, because of the size of the spine. A book is usually printed in sections, ie in large sheets covered on both sides with 16 or 32 pages. By an ingenious method of folding this sheet, the pages come to lie in the correct order. The pages are in the back stitched together with yarn , after which the different sections of the book are also sewn together using yarn.
A book made this way can never lose pages because the pages are folded around each other! To further finish the sewn book block is attached to a cover, after which it is cut exactly to size on 3 sides. This technique is basically usable for all kinds of paper. Sewn paperbound books have a very long life span and this technique is therefore particularly suitable for books that end up (for example) in a library.

By default, most books produced by Datawyse are sewn paperbound.

Perfect bound

In this technique of the yarn free book, the loose pages are glued to the cover. This technique is simpler and therefore cheaper than a sewn book. It also has significant disadvantages, which is why it is only recommended for books with a short lifespan. With frequent use of the book, especially when the spine is fully unfolded, the pages may let go. This technique is not usable with all kinds of paper. The glue that holds together the pages needs to get a good grip on the paper. On smooth paper such as MC-paper, adhesive won't hold as good, which increases the risk of loose pages. The rougher the paper, the better the adhesion.

The choice of paper:

woodfree offset or wood-free machine coated?

The two most common types of paper for printing books are Wood free Offset (HVO) and Wood free Machine Coated (MC). Both papers are available in various weights ranging from 80 to
115 grams and more.The grammage of the paper provides the stiffness and translucency (opacity) of the paper. HVO has a slightly rough texture, while MC has a smooth texture. MC paper is bright white, whereas HVO is available in both white paper and a cream-colored version. If you use halftone images (photographs) in your thesis, we recommend MC paper. On this smooth paper photographs get more contrast than the rougher HVO papers. By choosing a heavier paper, the spine of the book will get wider.
The most common weights are 80, 90, 100 and 120 grams for HVO and 90 or 115 grams for MC paper.

Is wood-free paper not made of wood?

It is usually undesirable for pages of a book to yellow with age, such as a newspaper would. This yellowing takes place under the influence of air when the paper contains wood.By using only wood-free paper the aging and thus yellowing of the paper is prevented and your book has a "lifetime" durability. But what does wood-free mean? Wood is the main raw material for paper. At closer look it is a collection of wood cellulose fibers and sealant materials. By a chemical treatment the kit materials are removed and only the cellulose fibers remain. This is called wood-free paper.
In the recent past, paper was made in a manner that was very bad for the environment. The white color was obtained for example through bleaching the paper with chlorine. The paper
that Datawyse uses however, meet the highest environmental standards that currently exist. Not only the paper but also the entire printing process is further marked by the most minimal possible impact on the environment. So you can be assured of an environmentally friendly and durable finished product.

Types of cardboard for the cover

For the cover we use Invercote 240 gram (a high sulphate board). This type of board is inherently white and has a smooth, satin finish. It is ideal for printing of detailed photographs and drawings. Although Invercote is the most commonly used, other types of cardboard are also possible.

Cover treatment

Because the ink can be damaged over time, we recomment an after treatment. Such treatment may be a press varnish, with a transparent ink is printed on the cover, but a much better protection is lamination. When laminating a plastic film is placed on the cover. You can choose a glossy or matte finish. Lamination is charged separately.

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