Types of printing machines: A guide for modern production partners

The global digital printing market is projected to surge from USD 29.6 billion in 2024 to USD 37.7 billion by 2029, a clear signal of the industry's tectonic shift towards speed, personalization, and on-demand fulfillment. For production partners, this isn't just a trend; it's a fundamental change in operational strategy. The central challenge is no longer about which single machine is "best," but how to build a flexible, interconnected production floor where every piece of equipment is perfectly matched to the job at hand. This strategic alignment—choosing between digital and conventional presses on a per-order basis—is the key to unlocking profitability in a high-volume, short-run world. At GelatoConnect, we see this every day: the most successful partners are those who leverage software to transform their diverse machinery into a single, intelligent production engine.

Main takeaways

For operations leaders and production partners navigating today's complex landscape, here are the essential insights on the different types of printing machines:

• The core division: Printing technology is broadly split into digital (inkjet, electrophotography) for speed and variability, and conventional (offset, flexography) for high-volume cost efficiency.

• Digital dominates on-demand: With near-zero changeover times, digital presses are the engine of production on demand, enabling profitable short runs and personalization.

• OEE is the ultimate metric: Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is the gold standard for measuring productivity. World-class print operations target an OEE of 85%, a stark contrast to the 60% typical in non-optimized environments.

• Automation is non-negotiable: To manage thousands of small orders profitably, end-to-end automation—from API-driven intake to automated job ganging—is essential. It's the only way to minimize manual touches and reduce scrap rates to the best-in-class target of <2%.

• Consistency is king: Adherence to process control standards like ISO 12647 is critical for network production. It guarantees that a product printed in one facility will match a product printed anywhere else in the world.

• The future is connected: The most competitive print providers use platforms like GelatoConnect to integrate their machines into a global network, turning their production capacity into a dynamic, software-driven asset.

The strategic divide: Digital vs. conventional printing operations

The global commercial printing market, valued at over USD 489 billion in 2024, encompasses a vast array of technologies. At the highest level, these technologies are divided into two operational philosophies: digital and conventional. The fundamental difference lies in the use of a printing plate.

Conventional printing, like offset lithography, uses a static plate to transfer the same image to thousands of sheets. This makes it incredibly cost-effective for large, identical runs but inefficient and costly for small, unique orders due to the time and materials required for setup.

Digital printing, on the other hand, creates images directly from digital files for each impression, eliminating the need for plates. This allows every single print to be different (variable data printing) and makes it possible to print a single copy almost as efficiently as one hundred. To truly understand the operational impact, it's worth exploring the pros and cons of short-run digital printing.

For partners in the GelatoConnect network, this isn't an "either/or" choice. Our intelligent routing system analyzes each incoming order's specifications—quantity, substrate, and deadline—to send it to the partner with the right machine for the job, ensuring optimal cost, speed, and quality every time.

A deep dive into digital printing machines

Digital technology is the heart of the production-on-demand revolution. Its agility and data-handling capabilities are what enable e-commerce brands to offer personalized products delivered in days, not weeks.

Electrophotography (toner-based) presses

Commonly known as laser printing, electrophotography uses static electricity to attract fine toner particles to a drum, which then transfers them to the substrate and fuses them with heat. Machines from manufacturers like HP Indigo and Ricoh are staples in modern print facilities.

• Operational strengths: Ideal for short runs of items like brochures, business cards, and photobooks. They offer crisp text, vibrant color, and fast turnaround for low-quantity jobs.

• Key challenge: The "click charge"—a fee paid to the manufacturer for every impression—can make high-volume jobs unprofitable.

• GelatoConnect integration: Profitability with toner presses hinges on maximizing the number of orders printed per sheet. GelatoConnect provides the tools for automating your entire production workflow, including sophisticated job ganging. Our software automatically combines thousands of small, independent orders onto large master sheets, drastically reducing per-item click charges and material waste. This transforms a potentially low-margin operation into a highly efficient profit center.

Inkjet printing machines

Inkjet technology works by propelling microscopic droplets of ink onto paper, plastic, or textiles. Once seen as a lower-quality option, modern production inkjet presses are now challenging offset in both speed and quality.

• Operational strengths: High-speed, roll-fed inkjet presses are workhorses for transactional mail and books. Wide-format inkjet is essential for posters, banners, and signage. Direct-to-garment (DTG) inkjet is the core technology for on-demand apparel.

• Key trend: As noted by industry analysts, advancements in print heads and inks are rapidly expanding inkjet's applications into commercial print and packaging.

• GelatoConnect integration: A diverse product catalog requires diverse technologies. The GelatoConnect network relies on partners with advanced inkjet capabilities to produce everything from canvas prints to custom hoodies. Our platform provides end-to-end solutions for apparel production, connecting partners who have invested in cutting-edge DTG machines with global demand from thousands of creators and brands.

Understanding conventional printing machines

While digital steals the headlines, conventional printing remains the backbone of the industry for high-volume production, where scale dictates cost efficiency.

Offset lithography presses

Offset lithography is the gold standard for high-volume commercial printing. It operates on the principle that oil and water don't mix, using a plate to transfer ink from a roller to a rubber blanket, and then to the printing substrate.

• Operational strengths: Unmatched cost-per-piece on long runs (thousands to millions of copies). It delivers exceptional image quality, color consistency, and a wide range of substrate and finishing options.

• Key challenge: The lengthy setup and changeover time (15-45 minutes) involves creating plates, mounting them, and getting the press up to color, generating significant waste paper. This makes it completely impractical for short runs.

• GelatoConnect integration: For large-scale corporate orders or high-volume static jobs that enter our network, offset is the most logical production method. Accurately quoting these complex jobs is critical. GelatoConnect provides partners with an AI-powered estimator to accurately price jobs, taking into account variables like setup time, material costs, and run length to ensure every job is profitable.

Flexography presses

Flexography, or "flexo," uses a flexible photopolymer printing plate wrapped around a rotating cylinder. It’s known for its high speed and versatility, especially on non-paper substrates.

• Operational strengths: The dominant technology for printing on packaging, including corrugated boxes, plastic bags, and labels. Its speed and durability make it ideal for massive runs.

• Key challenge: The resolution is typically lower than offset, and plate costs can be significant, reinforcing its use for very high volumes.

• GelatoConnect integration: As e-commerce grows, so does the demand for branded, sustainable packaging. For partners looking to expand into this area, mastering flexography is key. Managing the supply chain for the diverse materials used in packaging can be complex. GelatoConnect helps partners simplify procurement of paper and other materials, leveraging network-wide purchasing power to secure better pricing and availability.

The operational frameworks that drive profitability

Having the right machines is only half the battle. World-class performance comes from implementing rigorous operational frameworks to measure and control production.

Mastering overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

OEE is a powerful KPI that measures true productivity by multiplying three factors: availability (run time vs. planned time), performance (actual speed vs. ideal speed), and quality (good prints vs. total prints). It reveals the hidden losses from downtime, slow cycles, and defects. A print provider can track and visualize OEE data using powerful business intelligence tools like Microsoft Power BI to pinpoint inefficiencies.

Ensuring global consistency with process control

In a distributed network, consistency is everything. This is achieved through strict process control, guided by standards like G7/GRACoL in North America and FOGRA in Europe. By using tools like spectrophotometers to measure color bars and applying statistical process control (SPC), operators can ensure a machine stays within its calibrated state.

GelatoConnect mandates these standards across our network. This commitment to quality ensures that brands can confidently produce their marketing materials anywhere in the world, knowing their brand colors will be perfectly reproduced. This process is increasingly being supported by technology, as detailed in our post on how AI and machine learning are automating print production.

Practical strategy: Thriving in a high-volume, short-run world

The single biggest trend impacting production partners is the explosion of small, on-demand orders driven by e-commerce. According to a report from Smithers, end-to-end workflow automation is no longer a luxury but a core requirement for survival.

Consider this fictional but highly realistic scenario: a partner in Germany operates three facilities with a mix of offset presses. Before integration, their digital presses often sat idle, waiting for operators to manually group enough similar jobs to justify a run. After connecting to the GelatoConnect API, they began receiving a constant, pre-flighted, and automatically ganged stream of orders. This eliminated manual prepress work and boosted the OEE on their digital presses from 60% to over 80%, all while reducing substrate waste. This is the power of connecting your machinery to an intelligent, automated workflow. For more on this, you can explore the latest innovations and trends in print technology on our blog.