Digital printing is extremely valuable for schools and other educational institutions. It keeps their audiences up-to-date with planned events or activities, fundraising in the community, and marketing to prospective students. Yet, many institutions outsource their digital printing needs due to a lack of resources in-house, creating an added expense and often, an increase in turnaround time.
Incorporating digital printing solutions into schools makes sense, and is becoming increasingly popular, as the need to connect with a school’s audience grows, and the demand for hands-on STEM courses increases.
Bring Digital Printing In-House
Digital printing gives schools the resources to directly reach their audiences. Traditionally, a school’s printing capacity was limited to materials that can be printed on A4 or A3 sheets on the office printer. The rest was outsourced to a printing company. However, as digital printers become more affordable, many teachers and principals are realising that they can bring much of their printing needs in-house, to quickly and more cost-effectively create good quality print pieces for students, staff, the community, sponsors, potential students and their parents.
With digital printing, schools can advertise an activity, event or fundraiser with banners and posters; create professional-looking sales and marketing brochures to promote the school to prospective students and parents; create school directories, newsletters, sports programs and handbooks; print certificates and diplomas easily and on demand; keep school, classroom and social distancing signage up-to-date for a low cost; and print off promotional stickers and labels with ease.
By using digital printing in-house, schools can print materials in mass quantities within a quick turnaround time, to achieve high-quality finishes and unique designs at an affordable price.
Create Textile Applications with Ease
There are digital printers on the market that can be purchased for a minimal upfront investment, to quickly and easily create a range of textile applications that would have usually been outsourced at a high cost.
Some areas that schools could create textile applications for, include: fabric banners promoting an event or upcoming enrolments, cloth library bags, enrolment tote bags, school shirts, jumpers, and sports team shirts. Purchasing these minimal cost items and then printing them in-house can save a considerable amount of money than if the finished products and printing is outsourced.
Putting the A Back into STEaM
Digital printing can offer a valuable, hands-on learning experience for educational institutions, as it enables students to apply their knowledge to a real-world issue or problem – effectively putting the A back into STEAM learning.
Introducing digital printers to the classroom, for Arts-related disciplines such as Graphic Arts, Graphic Design, Marketing and Textiles classes, or even for school projects, increases students’ STEAM skills, thereby improving their readiness for the workplace.
Laser cutting and engraving devices also offer great STEAM learning, particularly in the technology and engineering space. On top of learning valuable skills in the classroom, they can be used for general signage, braille signage and asset ID management within schools.
Digital and Textile Printing Solutions on a Big or Small Scale
Depending on your requirements, Roland DG has a wide range of big and small digital and textile printing solutions available.
The VersaSTUDIO BT-12 Desktop Printer is a compact DTG printer that provides easy plug-and-play personalisation for cotton fabrics. The VersaStudio BN-20 Desktop Printer Cutter is ideal for printing and contour cutting apparel, heat transfers, decals, labels, posters and more. The BT-12 and BN-20’s small footprint and affordable price make them ideal for an office or classroom.
For bigger spaces and budgets, the TrueVIS SG2 Series Printer Cutters are great for larger scale print jobs of signs, labels and heat transfers, whilst the Texart RT-640 Dye Sublimation Printer offers performance printing of textiles and hard goods, and soft signage and banner production.