By Lisa Guerriero
Part 2
Many print professionals use Direct Imaging (DI) technology in concert with other printing equipment, digital or offset or both. The DI press provides a cost-effective way to complete jobs where reduced makeready and offset quality are important.
Quality and Productivity
Miller’s Minuteman Press is a graphic design, marketing, and print production company based in MD. It focuses on helping clients market and build their brand by providing print, mailing, and promotional products as well as digital communications.
A full-service print provider, it handles a range of customer needs, from business cards to 20×14-inch sheets and custom apparel. Clients include corporations, nonprofits, and government entities.
Established in 1999, the company has several locations throughout MD. The shop introduced DI technology nine years ago. Now it operates three Presstek DI devices, including two 34DIs and a 52DI that it acquired in December 2014.
Miller’s Minuteman Press uses its DI presses daily, for jobs ranging from 500 sheets to hundreds of thousands. The Presstek machines complement a full suite of equipment that includes offset presses and roll and flatbed wide format inkjet printers as well as a variety of finishing devices.
Several reasons determine whether the shop opts to use a DI press, says Keith Miller, president/CEO, Miller’s Minuteman Press. For example, a job requiring more than 750 color copier clicks for one-sided sheets is ideal for the DI.
“Registration to another process is another deciding factor. So, if a piece has a hairline registration to die cutting, folding, etc. we will choose to put it on the DI,” observes Miller.
Quality is also a factor in the decision. Color-critical jobs are well suited to the Presstek devices. “We are able to dial the color in on the DI from one print run to the next. Business cards look the same today as they did a month ago. That is not the case on the copiers,” he notes.
Miller Minuteman’s DI machines print line screens up to 300 lines per inch, ensuring vibrant and consistent color while maintaining quality for larger jobs. “Whether it’s for very short runs or extremely long runs, our DIs are our go-to piece of equipment,” adds Miller.
The ability to produce high-quality output quickly and effectively prompted Miller’s Minuteman Press to acquire its third Presstek DI press last year. It’s also why it “absolutely” plans to continue using DI technology in the future. “Our DI presses are quick to set up, efficient to operate, easy to maintain, and consistently produce efficient, high-quality print jobs,” he concludes.
An Efficient Enterprise
Miller’s Minuteman Press is a growing enterprise. Acquiring a third Presstek DI press allowed the company to increase production capability. DI presses provide the quality and reliability needed as they offer clients a one-stop solution for marketing, print, and design. dps
Click here to read part one of this two-part article, Bridging the Gap.
