Printed materials are an essential aspect of effective communication and marketing for businesses. High-quality printing helps companies to convey a professional image and create a consistent brand identity.
To ensure that your print job is of high quality, there are several things you should keep in mind. This article will discuss the top essential features of high-quality printing.
High-DPI or PPI Images
In digital images, PPI refers to the number of pixels per inch in an image file. It determines the best resolution for printing a digital picture and influences its sharpness, clarity, and quality when displayed on-screen. The higher the PPI, the more detailed the image will appear, and a lower PPI means a blurrier, less crisp image.
In printing, the image quality is measured in DPI (Dots Per Inch). Printing requires dots to reproduce colors. Inkjet printers spray tiny drops of ink, while laser printers melt toner dots on the paper.
The higher the DPI, the more detailed the image will be in printed form. However, a higher DPI can also cause the image to have larger file sizes. This can be a challenge for individuals with limited storage capacity. When choosing a DPI for an idea, consider the desired resolution, output device or printer capabilities, and the target audience. Different printers and devices have varying resolution requirements and may require various file formats. Different audiences also have different expectations for image quality and viewing distances.
High-Quality Paper
Paper is just as important as the images for a high-quality print job. Customers equate the quality of your company’s marketing materials with its products and services, so using poor-quality paper can leave a bad impression on them.
There are many different types of papers, each with its own set of features and qualities. These include size, brightness, shade, and weight.
Size refers to the thickness of the paper, measured in points. The higher the point number, the thicker the paper. A lower number will be thinner and more likely to jam copy machines.
Brightness measures a page’s white and bright, with higher numbers being more crisp and eye-catching. A shade describes the paper’s tone, with different shades looking warmer or cooler depending on how light reflects off them.
Photo paper is made with a special coating that helps the colors stand out and looks glossy and smooth. Bond paper is a heavier paper that’s often used for letters, business cards, and reports, with a rougher texture that feels more substantial in your hand.
High-Quality Inks
As with paper, quality printer inks can majorly impact print quality. Inks come in various colors and types, with some suitable for specific applications. For example, some inks are designed to dry quickly and be more resistant to fading than others. Others are suitable for printing on various surfaces, including coated and uncoated papers, cardboard, and plastic.
Cheaper inks tend to be dye-based and need more color fidelity. They can also start fading within weeks.
High-quality inks are formulated to resist fading and deliver vibrant, rich-looking colors. They are typically based on pigmentation and dry by absorption. This type of ink is often used for photo printing and dries quickly to prevent smears.
Good quality ink is essential for high-resolution printing and can help prevent frequent flushing of the printer’s ink system. Using compatible or remanufactured cartridges rather than new name-brand original inks is advisable to keep costs down.
Clean Print Head
A clean print head is an essential component of a high-quality print. It is important to regularly run a maintenance or cleaning cycle on the printer to remove any clogs. You may be prompted to do this by your printing software or the display on your printer itself. If you notice that your prints are smudged or fuzzy, the print head needs to be cleaned.
If the clog is not too severe, you can run a head cleaning cycle to remove it. However, it is better to clean stubborn clogs with alcohol wipes or specialized cleaning solutions instead of water — using water can cause the solute molecules to clump together more efficiently.
To clean the print head, turn off your printer and unscrew it from its mount (the exact location varies by brand). Place a strip of folded paper towel in the black plastic channel beneath where the head travels back and forth when printing. Moisten the paper towel with PiezoFlush solution or warm distilled water and flatten it down so that the edge of the print head doesn’t catch on it when slid over it.
Check the Print Preview
Most applications provide a preview function that allows users to check the layout of their printed materials without actually printing them. It is a convenient and helpful feature that can save users money and time by allowing them to resolve any issues with the document before they print it.
The Print Preview feature is usually found on the Page Setup dialog box or as an icon on the standard toolbar. It displays how the active view will look when printed. It also includes tools to help you resolve any last-minute problems with your print settings.
The Zoom tools allow you to see the details of your file, while the Ruler button displays vertical and horizontal rulers. It also shows the name of your printer, which is essential if you’re in an office environment and need to know which printer to send it to. The Shrink to Fit button performs an Alice in Wonderland trick on your file, shrinking it to one page and reducing text size and gaps between pages. This can save you a lot of paper and ink.