Print Speed vs. Production Speed
- Print Speed – Also called headline speed – refers to the fastest speed of the press.
- Production Speed - Production speed refers to the "real" print speed that is achieved in actual print production. It is the measure of the print mode of the equipment that will deliver the necessary quality that is commercially acceptable for that application.
Beware of promised speeds based on Print or Headline Speed only. What looks good in a brochure, rarely equates to the production floor. More.
Demonstration Proof Points: It is highly recommended that you print files on at least 3 or 4 of the materials that you expect you will commonly utilize as the print quality and corresponding print modes (and resulting speed) may vary according to the material printed.
Proof Point #1: Print an image file at each print mode. Use a stop watch to measure the actual total time from the moment the printer is started until the print is completed and can be removed from the printer. Calculate the print speed of each mode with the following equation:
Total Area Printed (sq ft) X 3600 = Actual Production Speed/Hour
Print Time (seconds)
Click here for Example.
Proof Point #2: Create a test image that incorporates all of the critical print quality requirements found in most commercial printing applications.
This is a standard test file that incorporates all of the critical print quality aspects that should be studied on any digital equipment you may consider purchasing.
Evaluate these qualities:
- Text sharpness (no fuzziness) with small fonts of 8 point or below;
- Smoothness of print surface in areas of heavy ink lay-down / full color
- Coarseness of images in facial tones and areas of low ink lay-down or light colors
- Lines or voids in the print
- Color transition especially in areas of light color
You should also print a few actual job files that represent the majority of the type of work you will do on the equipment following Proof Points #1 and #2. Learn more.