What is soft proofing and what are the characteristics. What is digital proofing and what is traditional proofing. The difference between traditional proofing and digital proofing

What is digital printing: digital printing is the digitalization of printing technology. General refers to the whole process of part or all of the digitalization. For example: laser typesetting, remote transmission plate, digital proofing, computer direct plate making, digital workflow, printing plant ERP and so on belong to the category of digital printing.

The development of digital printing technology: in the fierce competition in the market, business decision-makers should take the long-term development of the enterprise as the focus, early preparation, as soon as possible action, otherwise you will lose the market opportunity, and even lose the survival of the space to be squeezed out of the market. Focus on technological change and progress in science and technology today is particularly important in the rapid development of science and technology. China's printing industry in the development of digital printing technology, driven by the changes in this decade fully illustrates this point.

Digital Printing I: Farewell to lead and fire

In the stage of farewell to lead and fire, the realization of the electronic publishing system to replace the traditional type typesetting, transforming the traditional operation of the typesetting of the technology and the environment for the digitization of publishing and printing laid the foundation for digital printing should be said to be the development of digital printing technology is an important milestone. The significance of the development of electronic publishing system is not only to say goodbye to the lead and fire, but more importantly, the long-term development of digitalization of publishing and printing has laid the foundation for a major significance.

Digital printing two: off-site transmission version

Ten years ago, the reader is not able to see the day of the publication of off-site daily newspaper, especially in remote areas of our country, often news into old news, not to mention the timeliness of the news. Digital communication technology to replace the traditional publication of off-site printing of the plate sample delivery, greatly improving the timeliness and accuracy of off-site publishing. At the same time also laid the foundation for today's off-site network publishing and printing.

Digital Printing III: color and image

People on the desktop color publishing system can replace the electronic color separation machine debate seems to be yesterday, with the image processing technology, color separation technology, color management technology, image scanning technology, image information exchange and other technological developments, this debate has become history. Desktop color publishing system improves the efficiency of color text and graphics in one of the plate making, and art and publishing organically combined together, so that we have a creative design in the publishing and printing, the simple process of information transfer into a kind of art.

Digital printing four: goodbye to paper and pen

Network technology, network editing and publishing technology, information tracking technology, information exchange technology, the emergence and development of information dissemination technology, so that the computer and network technology to achieve the publication of digital editing has become possible. This stage of technological development belongs to the digital publishing, the most important thing is that it is a key step for the realization of all-digital publishing and printing and cross-media publishing.

Digital Printing V: Efficiency, Quality and Management

When opened any one of the industry technology-related publications, computer-to-plate (CTP), film scanning, digital workflow (WORKFLOW), digital proofing and remote proofing, printing plant business management system, on-demand, fast printing are a lot of introductions, all of these are in order to achieve the print publishing goals of high efficiency, high quality and management.

Digital Printing VI: cross-media publishing and network publishing

The same set of digital information content through different media publishing, that is, cross-media publishing, for example, the same document can not only be printed on paper to newspapers and magazines, books in the form of publishing (paper media publishing), but also through the network at any time and place on any device to generate, manage and publish high-fidelity, reliable, interactive, personalized digital content (network). and personalized digital content (web publishing).

From the point of view of printing is information processing, the demand for multiple outputs of a processing will put forward higher requirements for the development of digital printing technology.

Digital Printing VII: Digital System

What is a digital printing system? Digital printing system is the printing of the whole process of digitalization, networking technology, covering the computer direct plate making, digital workflow, digital proofing, on-demand, rapid printing and other technologies, is the printing industry to adapt to the development of the information age is inevitable.

Two, digital printing system market positioning

Digital printing printing speed, high quality. In addition, digital printing for the print volume is not required at all, the cost of a single fixed, these make the digital printing machine low investment, high return. Although digital printing appeared late, but now it is basically mature technology, its application space is also gradually expanding.

From the actual application of the current market, digital printing system should be clearly positioned in the rapid short-run, on-demand, personalized, variable data and other printing areas.

Three, digital printing development status

Based on the source of technology, the market's existing digital printing equipment can be broadly divided into the following four categories.

1, digital printing all-in-one machine - by the copier technology plus the development of digital technology

Typical representatives: Toshiba, Konica, Ricoh, Canon, Xerox, OSI, etc.. This type of equipment generally includes three major parts: scanning part, laser printing part and folding and binding part. Their functions are relatively comprehensive, allowing scanning, copying, printing and digital publishing.

Figure 1 Digital Printing All-in-One Function Chart

This type of equipment belongs to the multi-functional digital printing system, is a class of digital printing, from the previous single output device into a digital input, output all-in-one device.

Features and advantages of the digital printing all-in-one machine:

Output speeds of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 100 pages per minute or even higher, to adapt to a wide range of markets;

Due to the incorporation of digital technology to ensure stable quality;

Equipment is simple to operate, the working environment is clean;

Digital "group "service system into reality, the user is more convenient;

System cost is low, with strong competitiveness;

It is the digital printing all-in-one machine has these characteristics, we expect its development prospects are broad.

2, digital MFP - based on the development of printer technology

This type of equipment from the principle of the same as the former, but because they do not master the high-speed laser printer core technology (except Canon, Xerox), so most manufacturers of digital all-in-one can only be competing in the low-speed (less than 30 pages per minute) in the market, and even competing for the market of the fax machine and printer market of fax machines and printers. This type of equipment is difficult to enter the digital printing market.

3, digital press - by the printing press technology, digital technology and electronic ink technology development

typical representative of the HPINDIGO.

4, digital printing press - by the printing press technology plus digital technology and in-machine direct plate technology development

typical representative: Heidelberg DI.

Four, digital printing system development prospects

Four, digital printing System development prospects

According to the use of different digital technology, we can design a system with different functions.

1, the combination of simple CTP technology and small offset printing technology to form a non-integral;

2, in-machine silver salt plate technology and small offset printing technology to achieve the combination;

3, high-speed inkjet technology and small offset printing technology to achieve the combination of inexpensive.

4, with the development of technology, and even realize stronger functions, higher quality, wider adaptation.

Fifth, the development of digital printing misunderstandings

Digital printing is developing rapidly, but there are a number of misunderstandings.

Myth one: high cost

Cost is usually composed of three elements: depreciation, materials, labor. But the high degree of automation of the digital system will reduce the labor costs to a certain extent; depreciation of equipment, by the purchase of equipment when the investment is determined; material costs, toner-based media, for example, the digital machine is now more drum powder separation, and most of the equipment drum life are in the hundreds of thousands of sheets or more, the powder price should be gradually reduced as the application of the expansion of the price; relative to the traditional offset, digital printing, no plate, so will save the cost of plate making. So the cost of plate making will be eliminated. It is worth mentioning that, with the increase in the number of users, the maturity of the technology, the overall price level of digital printing presses has been reduced. This also makes digital printing labor costs are under control, prompting more customers to accept digital printing.

Myth 2: the product can not be retained for a long time

First of all, you can do their own experiments to see the difference in the preservation time of the prints of the digital printing machine. The prints printed with traditional ink, electronic ink, toner will be placed in daylight, after a few days you will find that the prints printed on digital presses have better color durability than the prints printed with traditional ink.

Secondly, many people think that nowadays the prints from digital presses are not stored for a long time like the prints from traditional laser printers and copier prints. The actual situation is not the case, to dry toner, for example, with the digital printing presses to print high resolution continues to improve, the digital printing presses now use toner than traditional copiers and laser printers use finer particles, in the process of high temperature melting, toner can be dissolved in the crevices of the paper like ink droplets.

Myth 3: digital printing machine is a simple digitalization process

Since the digital printing process is directly from the computer to print or print to paper (Computer-to-Paper), so the requirements of the digital printing machine should be equipped with a collocation, correction, binding and other automated functions of the whole process. Therefore the software function of the system is crucial.

Myth 4: the printing quality of digital presses

Although the quality of digital printing due to mechanical structure, the use of consumables is not the same as the quality of digital printing can not be fully aligned with the traditional printing for the time being, but on the whole, with the continuous improvement of the imaging system, the imaging accuracy and output resolution to improve the media latitude enhancement, the current manufacturers to launch the digital printing presses can meet the High-grade printing needs, and also in the direction of higher quality. In particular, more and more multi-color digital printing system, can be four or even six colors at the same time, spot-color printing can also meet.

Six, digital printing system of several key software technologies

Most of the digital equipment providers are copying, printing equipment development, basically no printing technology background, the lack of digital printing system of several key software technologies. Examples:

1, all-digital printing workflow software

2, to meet the printing of a variety of typesetting results in the format of the whole and unified output software

3, printing data resource management software

4, on-demand, variable printing production and support software

5, remote network services software

Because of a lack of the above Key technical software support, most of the equipment providers have to be positioned in the copying, printing-based office market

Offset printing machine printing silkscreen calendar boxes self-adhesive calendar logo laser anti-counterfeiting logo Taizhou calendar packaging packaging boxes brochures posters, promotional paper, first carry bags and other types of acceptance of the printing business

1, offset printing: all types of color samples, calendars, calendars, boxes, brochures, Posters, albums, bags, letterhead, envelopes,

Color boxes, advertising paper, bags, packaging and decoration, brochures, tickets.

2, leather label: all kinds of rubber, plastic, PVC leather trademarks, decorative labels, zipper head label, key rings, medals.

3, weaving and embroidery: computerized machine weaving all kinds of cutting edge, locking edge satin, flat trademarks, decorative labels, bags and belts.

4, letterpress: all kinds of clothing tags, stickers, bar codes, crystal drop molding, laser anti-counterfeiting label.

5, screen printing: all kinds of screen printing ribbons, non-woven fabrics, cloth tape trademarks, mark, PVC plastic labels, material processing.

6, machine printing: all kinds of color ribbons, trademarks, labels, wash mark, rolls of self-adhesive, characteristics of non-woven tape.

Packaging boxes, calendars, calendars, bags, albums, samples, brochures, posters, laser anti-counterfeiting labels, stickers, trademarks and other printing.

The emergence of digital printing has solved many problems in the current market. Every company wants to minimize storage and transportation costs, and digital printing technology ensures that reprints are as effective as the first edition. The areas it serves are print-on-demand, personalization and variable data input printing." The most notable feature of digital printing is that it starts with one sheet, and in combination with IT and Internet technologies, it enables web printing." At Konica Minolta's booth, Lv Haidong, deputy chief of the company's Beijing Digital Printing Division, introduced the demonstration to reporters.

In foreign countries, digital printing is showing vitality. Kodak Graphic Communications Group, Greater China, deputy manager of market liaison Xiao Nan introduced, as far as the U.S. market is concerned, the number of printing companies have continued to decline in recent years, but the printing industry's revenues have continued to grow, most of which comes from the growth of digital printing revenues.

Status quo: lack of understanding

Digital printing has a simple, fast, flexible and many other advantages, so that its potential applications are very wide, from large-format printing to books, brochures, printing are capable of, is used to produce a means of communication media is extremely important. However, the current development of digital printing in China is subject to certain restrictions, many commercial printing enterprises on the lack of understanding of digital printing technology, the application of a great deal of difficulty, high-performance color digital printing equipment is mainly used in some professional areas, the share of the printing market is still relatively low.

Currently, the color quality of digital color printing has reached a high level, in many cases can be completely differentiated from four-color offset presses. Such as Nexpress2100, HPIndigo and XeroxiGen3 and other equipment can provide high color quality color digital printing, Nexpress and HPIndigo can also provide more than four colors of printing, and even varnish, with a wider range of colors. Xiao Nan took out a foreign newspaper printed in digital color to prove to the reporter the practicality and effectiveness of digital printing. She reflected that in foreign countries, digital printing commercial live from a variety of printing; while in China, digital printing is mainly used in invoice printing. Lv Haidong introduced that digital printing equipment can be used by government agencies, printing houses, advertising companies and expansion stores. Xiao Nan pointed out that digital printing can save costs for clients' customers, improve customer response rate, show differentiation, enhance brand image, etc." I want my company's clients and my clients' clients to understand digital printing and digital printing technology." She preached.

Outlook:The trend

Related information shows that in the United States, in 2006, 33% of the digital printing jobs to achieve diversification and personalization, custom printing in the printing market growth rate has reached 14%, directly from the network of live printing growth rate has exceeded 100%. From the point of view of the number of printed copies, 78% of the four-color offset printing jobs have been reduced to less than 5,000 copies. For printing companies, the development of digital printing is the trend. At the same time, the rapid development of digital printing technology to all areas of the printing industry has brought great business opportunities, digital printing has become one of the most potential for development of a printing method.

For the development trend of digital printing, the United States famous printing experts Frank J. Romano that digital printing will be offset printing, screen printing and flexographic printing as a supplement, and compete with it; networked laser printers will challenge the copier, copier challenge digital printing, digital printing challenges offset printing, and inkjet will challenge all; the quality of digital printing will no longer be a problem! The quality of digital printing will no longer be a problem, but its productivity, reliability and size issues will still need to be further addressed; offset printing is improving to provide a more affordable and competitive product, but its market will continue to be eaten up by digital printing; digital printing will affect all aspects of the printing industry, will be in the art, packaging, labeling, textiles, books, advertisements, and other printed materials on a wide range of applications.

Romano in its U.S. 2006 State of Printing Lecture had predicted that by 2012, once the dominant offset market share will fall to 60%, the other will be variable data printing and other ways to occupy. By 2015, offset printing revenue generated by the printing industry will fall to about 45% of the total revenue ratio, digital printing rose to 30%, the other will be occupied by ancillary services.

A staff member of the China Printing Technology Association said that China's printing market development is different from the United States, but from the historical experience, but only "progress" of the differences, focusing on whether the U.S. market, a glimpse of the future of digital printing in China.