Topic summary
Digital printing

Method of printing Part of a series on theHistory of printing TechniquesPintadera10,000 BCWoodblock printing200Movable type1040Intaglio (printmaking)1430Printing pressc. 1440Etchingc. 1515Mezzotint1642Relief printing1690Aquatint1772Lithography1796Chromolithography1837Rotary press1843Hectograph1860Offset printing1875Hot metal typesetting1884Mimeograph1885Daisy wheel printing1889Photostat and rectigraph1907Screen printing1911Spirit duplicator1923Dot matrix printing1925Xerography1938Spark printing1940Phototypesetting1949Inkjet printing1950Dye-sublimation1957Laser printing1969Thermal printingc. 1972Solid ink printing1972Thermal-transfer printing19813D printing1986Digital printing1991 vte Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers. Digital printing has a higher cost per page than more traditional offset printing methods, but this price is usually offset by avoiding the technical steps required to make printing plates. It also allows for on-deman