Surviving the Mail

The PIA/GATF Digital Printing Council has published a study called “Digital Printing and Survivability in the U.S. Postal System.” It tested five digital presses and one offset press to find out how durable their products were once they hit the mail stream.

The presses involved were Canon ImagePRESS C7000VP, HP Indigo 5500, Kodak Nexpress S3000, Océ CS650 Pr, Xerox iGen3 and a Komori offset press. The presses printed a total of 400 postcards, which were put into the traditional mail stream through four U.S. cities. Upon delivery, each postcard was tested for marking or abrasion.

The study concluded that the amount and degree of marking of mail in the U.S. Postal System is not directly related to distance traveled, but to the individual mail sorting facility. Each mail facility contains identical equipment that is calibrated on a regular schedule, according the the USPS. The calibration of the equipment and routine maintenance has a profound impact on the printed material.

The study revealed that overall, with no coating applied, digitally-produced postcards withstand the abuse of the U.S. Postal System as good as, or even better than those produced using offset lithography.

For more information, contact gain@piagatf.org.