New Printing Technology

Digital connection

Print jobs are made into electronic files, and all file transmissions are transmitted through high-speed and long-distance communication. In some cases it may be a T-1 or T-3 line or ISDN or any other communication method: while in other cases it may be the transfer of files via the Internet or Intranet. The documents transmitted include electronic work orders and self-processing documents used in different steps of the digital workflow process, which organically connect customers and printing services. This has never been the case before.

Remote proofing

Proofing is the most important part of the printing industry. Proofing is very meaningful before entering the workflow, and proofs can be produced in the customer’s own office to make proofing more meaningful. The problem is how to manage the color of the documents sent back to the customer. Whether it is inkjet proofing, dye sublimation proofing, or other types of printing, documents need to be professionally processed before being passed to customers, so that the documents have certain color control. The debate with and without outlets will continue into the next century.

Waterless printing

The advantages of waterless printing in reducing waste and improving quality are obvious. But there are very few suppliers of printing plates, and printing is very special, which greatly limits its wide acceptance. The CTP system produces digital waterless printing plates through several suppliers, and some printing machines are ready for the cooling system to wait for the access of waterless printing. Waterless printing uses only one liquid, ink, instead of fountain solution. The demand for this new printing method is increasing in the market.

CTP technology

The several advantages of CTP technology are: a. Eliminates some problems that may be caused by the process from film to printing plate; b. Can be positioned faster, this is because CTP equipment can make the location of the dots more accurate; c. Save The operation steps can make the printing cycle shorter; d. In most cases, it can guarantee better quality. Sales figures indicate that CTP is occupying this market.

Process

Pixel to page to product. Process control is always automatic, from digital pages to the final product. Consider using internal barcodes for tracking, and you can start to know the status of the progress of operations in various aspects from the beginning of a job. If CIP3 is an open, non-private method, it is an acceptable method. Otherwise, the market has to find a better way.

Technology integration

Putting an inkjet system into a printing press is an example of technology integration. One of the best examples of system integration I have heard is the color printing service jointly provided by Indigo and Xeikon presses. First use Xeikon printing machine to print a large number of printed sheets, then print black ink on Indigo machine to make the printed products more distinctive. With the integration of offset presses and inkjet printers, these efforts are better for print reproduction.

It is possible to output a digital file multiple times from one file-the file between the application file and the RIP file-to any proofing or printing equipment. Acrobat PDF is the most promising method. It can move files from the device that generated the file to the device that copied the file, eliminating PostScript’s incompetence and speeding up the workflow.

Variable digital printing

Whether using toner or inkjet, electronic printing is developing rapidly, just as some new mid-range digital color printing systems are entering the market. In less than a year, the sales volume of the Xerox Docucolor system and Cannon CLC1000 system has exceeded all sales of high-end digital printing presses. They have the ability to output direct mail and customized products. The typical application is a new type of anti-counterfeiting printing.

Digital advertising

Whether in TIFF / IT or PDF format, advertisements will be inserted into newspapers and magazines in the form of electronic files, because these publications will be output by CTP. The biggest news mentioned here is that “placed PDF” will allow these smart files to be inserted directly into QuarkPress or PageMaker pages. The files can include text, images, colors, fonts, and other information.

2023-03-29