Offset Printing

Offset printing is done at Scantron Print Services in Columbia, PA. To ensure that your job is printed as you designed it, please be sure to follow the Print Services Art Files Requirements.

Differences Between Offset Printing and Laser Printing

Offset Printing at Scantron Print Services	Local Laser Printing
Cut sheets, multi-parts, booklets, and continuous forms can be printed. Standard and custom form sizes are available. Several booklet binding methods are available, including gluing and stitching. Print quality is consistently good. Ink is guaranteed for scanner readability. Paper is guaranteed for scanner readability. Cost may be lower than laser printing, at larger print quantities.	Cut sheets can be printed. Other form types may not be available. Standard form sizes are available. Custom form sizes may be inconvenient or unavailable. Some laser printing equipment may be able to produce booklets. Print quality may vary, depending upon the laser printer used. Ink is not guaranteed for scanner readability; you must perform your own ink testing. Paper is guaranteed for scanner readability if you use Scantron DesignExpert stock form 103188 or 265914. Otherwise, you must perform your own paper testing. Cost may be lower than offset printing, at smaller print quantities. Greater flexibility and convenience than offset printing. "On demand" printing is possible, especially for smaller quantities and at distributed locations. We recommend local laser printing with Scantron DesignExpert stock form 103188 or 265914 for jobs of 1000 forms or less. It requires that you perform printer alignment between jobs.

Offset Printing at Scantron Print Services

Local Laser Printing

Cut sheets, multi-parts, booklets, and continuous forms can be printed.
Standard and custom form sizes are available.
Several booklet binding methods are available, including gluing and stitching.
Print quality is consistently good.
Ink is guaranteed for scanner readability.
Paper is guaranteed for scanner readability.
Cost may be lower than laser printing, at larger print quantities.

Cut sheets can be printed. Other form types may not be available.
Standard form sizes are available. Custom form sizes may be inconvenient or unavailable.
Some laser printing equipment may be able to produce booklets.
Print quality may vary, depending upon the laser printer used.
Ink is not guaranteed for scanner readability; you must perform your own ink testing.
Paper is guaranteed for scanner readability if you use Scantron DesignExpert stock form 103188 or 265914. Otherwise, you must perform your own paper testing.
Cost may be lower than offset printing, at smaller print quantities.
Greater flexibility and convenience than offset printing.
"On demand" printing is possible, especially for smaller quantities and at distributed locations.
We recommend local laser printing with Scantron DesignExpert stock form 103188 or 265914 for jobs of 1000 forms or less.
It requires that you perform printer alignment between jobs.

Job Specification Sheet

Access the Job Specification sheet from the Options menu and use it to create a special report about the specifications of your document design. The report includes complete details about the OMR grids and bar codes you have defined in your document, the colors you have selected, the graphics you are using, any special instructions, and more. We request you send a copy of this Job Specification when you submit your documents. In addition, we suggest you keep a copy for your own use.

Fonts

Locating Fonts

Graphics

If you are preparing documents to send to Scantron Print Services for printing, please be aware that ONLY certain file formats work successfully at the high resolutions necessary for offset printing. See Print Services Art Files Requirements for details.