The hottest future of digital printing

The future of digital printing (Part 2)

another link in the field of digital printing is the prepress workflow. The printing plant must be able to receive data from customers and ensure that it is processed correctly. At present, there are many standards, such as PDF/x, PPML/VDX and JDF. Are these standards really valid

frank Romano: there are indeed many standards, which is the reason why customers should not deal with all of them, and the bonding strength of go-pda in imitation is still higher than those of go. I'm a member of the VDX Development Committee. I don't think PPML itself can solve the problem. If you want to print variable information, you need a database and a template. The two must be well combined, which is still very complex so far. We believe that it should be as simple as inputting instructions in a program (such as InDesign or quark Xpress), the data with PDF template is automatically generated by the database, and the synthesized PPML/VDX files are transmitted to various types of digital printers

secondly, the workflow should be transparent. For example, if a printing plant receives a PDF file, it can be used to drive the Cleo CTP system, or as the basic data of the engraving gravure cylinder. The customers who end with the arithmetic mean of the two diagonals of the most d-indentation are not very clear about these specific process flows. They only need to provide the printing plant with a PDF file, and how to print it is up to the printing plant to decide. The same is true of digital printing. However, all this must be transparent to customers

what is the most suitable data format? What do you think about P D F, PDF/× The argument? Do you think PDF/× Can we move forward

frank roman0: at present, there is no most suitable data format, and PDF is the most used. At present, there is no new technology that can surpass and replace it. At present, PDF/X is mainly used in the workflow of advertising business, because all magazines want to achieve a fully electronic workflow, not only printing, publishing, summarizing and archiving, but also electronic. If the customer provides an advertisement in tlff format, once zoomed in or out, the image will change and the font on the advertisement will also change. Pdf does not. And PDF is scalable and flexible. In addition, PDF/X can be directly used in CTP workflow, and will also be used in the digital publication of magazines in the future

another advantage of the electronic process is that it saves postal costs. Due to the sharp increase in postal costs, publishers and advertising experts are looking for other delivery channels other than postal services. PDF/X is adjustable, and the page can be enlarged or reduced, while the content on the page remains unchanged. In addition, PDF/X is specially tested, so it can ensure trouble free production. PDF/X can exist, the root is here. At present, the United States actually takes PDF as the standard of workflow, and it is still developing

ppml, VDX, PDF on the fly and XML, are these format standards not comparable to Jinan experimental machine, which is now the global production experimental machine base

Frank r0mano: PPML and VDX are actually the same. VDX is the PPML inside PDF, and PPMI is XML, which is actually the same. XML itself is useless, because no one wants to deal with XMI files; People want to deal with files that can support page browsing, so they should × Ml to PDF, or PDF to XML

is it translation or embedding

frank Romano: both. Whether you use it for variable information printing, traditional offset printing or gravure printing, or electronic publishing, you should take PD F: as the standard. It can be said that PDF is the most important tool in the publishing industry today

is it more reasonable for a printing factory to invest in workflow technology now or wait for the next generation of products

frank Romano: JDF and clp3/clp4 use PDF as a way to carry live part data and all printing process information, but the premise must be that printing machines, cutting machines and binding machines can use this data. At present, only a few printing plants have equipment that can execute JDF workflow. Printing houses are also thinking about such a question: how to invest in new equipment when orders are declining? Therefore, upgrading equipment may be the wisest choice. Some live parts may be lost now, but it is also a reserve force for the market to warm up and orders to pick up. At that time, due to stronger production capacity, it will definitely be in an advantageous position in the competition

what we need to do now is to upgrade everything, from intelligence to software to hardware

frank Romano: to upgrade everything, not just the printing press, you may also need to build a high-speed network, a faster workstation and a better proofing system. Many printing houses now have a "hodgepodge" system

what does the "hodgepodge" system mean

frank roman0: a group of various old and new machines can work reluctantly, but the combination is not too close. The printing factory must create a more coordinated and comprehensive system with an average annual growth of more than 20% to make all work more orderly, which means adding new equipment. The difficulty lies in correctly estimating the cost of new equipment. Although the printing industry is still depressed, we have no choice if we want to remain competitive

what role do you think Internet will play in the future printing industry? Is it only used to release information, or is it a remote control means of printing process

Frank roman0: Internet is probably the most elusive thing we have encountered. On the one hand, it is an efficient technical means to promote communication and exchange between printing plants and customers; On the other hand, it is a competitor in the printing industry. In the United States, a large number of printing businesses have been lost and turned to Internet, and this situation will continue for a long time. Therefore, we must seek new ways to survive in the "new environment"