Large Format Printing in Dresden – Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Large Format Printing ?

Also called wide-format printing, large-format digital printing refers to the production of large graphics. It is a relatively new technology, with the first large-format printer developed in the early 1990s. Since then, the technology has developed rapidly, which has made the process quicker, cheaper and more versatile.

In order to deliver a high-quality, detailed finish, wide-format printing requires specialist equipment, rather than a standard office printer. Typically, large format printers can handle materials between 457mm and 2500mm wide.

What Are The Types Of Large Format Printing ?

There are three types of large-format printing techniques available, which are delivered by different machines.

UV Printing:
This type of printing is suitable for use on a wide range of materials including paper, plastics, foam, PVC and metals. The finish is durable, able to withstand exposure to sunlight and water. Production is also fast, because the inks are cured under a specialist UV lamp.

Aqueous Printing:
This technique uses water-based inks and delivers high-definition results in a short space of time because there is no curing involved. The inks aren’t waterproof, so aqueous inks are only suitable for indoor use.

Solvent Printing:
Solvent printing is great for outdoor use because it’s waterproof and can be used on a wide range of substrates, including PVC and Foamex. However, production can take a bit longer than other techniques because solvent inks often need additional curing time, as well as lamination.

Why Is Large Format Printing Important ?

Large format printing is important because it takes visual communication to a new level, amplifying a message in ways that were previously unthinkable.

And while large format printing is often used to advertise products, its importance goes beyond marketing.

For example, just think of the coronavirus pandemic. At the peak of this global crisis, large format printing played a key role in allowing many businesses to continue operations safely. From posters reminding people to wash their hands to floor graphics that made it easier for shoppers to maintain social distance, the last several months were a testament to the power and usefulness of large format printing.

Who Invented Large Format Printing ?

Many technologies had to converge in order to make large format printing possible. This includes advances in printing itself, but also the development of new materials as well as installation techniques.

With such a large number of factors at play, it’s impossible to pinpoint a single person as the inventor of large format printing. Rather, large format printing is the result of a process of experimentation, improvement, and work whose origins can be traced back to the mid-20th century, when vinyl was first used for advertising purposes.

What Are Large Format Printers ?

A large format printer is a printer designed to print on materials that can be anywhere between 457mm and 2500mm wide.

Large format printers are controlled by a computer, providing greater accuracy, improved efficiency, and limiting the opportunities for human error. That’s why the advent of computer-aided design was a crucial step in the evolution of large format printing: the results that can be obtained with today’s technology would have been impossible to achieve with traditional printing methods.

Not all large format printers are the same, though. Here’s a breakdown of the main types of large format printers:

Solvent-based printers: Here the printing process occurs by mixing a solvent and a pigment. The printer applies this mixture to the substrate; once the solvent evaporates what remains is a layer of color. Solvent prints tend to be less expensive, although they’re better suited for outdoor use.
UV printers: These printers use ultra-violet (UV) light to dry the ink, therefore prints made with a UV printer require no ventilation, unlike those made with solvent-based printers.
Latex printers: This is the most advanced large format printing technology. The ink in these printers is made of water and polymers (also called latex). The curation process occurs inside the printer, and the prints are safe to use in all kinds of environments.

What Are the Advantages of Large Format Printing ?

Large format printing offers competitive advantages compared to other forms of advertising:

High impact:  While an ad in a magazine might go unnoticed and online ads tend to annoy users, large format printing captures de attention of your potential audience in a way that is unobtrusive but impossible to miss.
Low cost: Large format printing is a smart way to invest your marketing budget. Digital printing is extremely cost-effective and in many cases you can take advantage of surfaces you already have, such as walls or windows.
Versatile: From conventional products such as billboards to innovative projects like building wraps, there’s a large format printing solution that meets your marketing needs without straining your budget.

What Are Some Examples of Large Format Printing ?

Large format printing offers a full range of visual solutions to get your message out there. For example, your options include:

• Banners
• Wall graphics
• Floor graphics
• Window graphics
• Building wraps
• Vehicle wraps
• Advertising flags
• Barricades
• Signage
• POP (Point of Purchase)
• POS (Point of Sales) stands
• Out-of-home advertising (billboards)

What Are Some Technical Terms Commonly Used in Large Format Printing ?

Like any other field, large format printing has specialized terms that may be obscure to the uninitiated. Such terms are few and easy to explain:

DPI: This acronym stands for “dots per inch,” and refers to the dot density of an image. Think of DPI as the “resolution” of a printed graphic. A knowledgeable designer can easily determine the best DPI for your large format printing project.
RGB/CMYK: RGB and CMYK are called “color modes.” In short, a color mode is a method for displaying colors. RGB stands for red, green, and magenta and refers to the three basic colors a computer monitor uses to render all other colors. CMYK, on the other hand, stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key, the basic colors used in the printing process.
Substrate: A substrate is any material you can print on. Vinyl is one of the most common substrates used in large format printing, although some large format printers are able to print on textiles, cardboard, and other substrates.
Wrap: In large format printing, “wrapping” an object means covering its surface with printed sheets of self-adhesive vinyl or other flexible material. Some of the most common types of wraps are building wraps and vehicle wraps (cars, motorcycles, and even boats).