Interpretation of digital printing principles (on)

First, the concept of digital printing and its advantages and disadvantages

The concept of digital printing has so far had no final standard definition in the world. There are two main points of view: one is the view of the computer industry and the Other is the view of the printing industry. In the computer industry, the technical process that people use to output data to paper is called digital printing, whether it is black and white or color. Therefore, people also refer to digital printers in this sense as printers. In the printing industry, people use digital information instead of traditional analog information. The printing technology that directly transfers digital image information to printing materials is called digital printing.

1. On-demand printing market

POD is printed on demand, and English is called "Print-on-Demand". Mainly for publications that are frequently revised and need to be updated, such as manuals, documents, and policy brochures can be easily completed through the system. And it is also particularly suitable for printing publications that incorporate many pictures, such as scientific and technical publications including charts, photos and software, screen displays. When the number of prints is less than 5,000 copies, it is customarily referred to as "short print". Digital presses dominated by Fuji Xerox DocuTech have occupied 85% of the previous jobs in the United States on small printers and copiers. This trend is beginning to shift to color presses.

2. Variable data input printing

In digital printing, the image or text on each page can be continuously changed in one printing, ie, variable data input printing. This requirement cannot be solved in traditional printing.

3. Distribution and printing

Digital printing technology ensures that the reprinted print has the same effect as the first edition, so there is no reason to require that an official document be printed at the same location at the same time. Every company wants to minimize the cost of storage and transportation. For example, a company can create a new product catalogue at the headquarters and then send the documents to the local branch offices for local printing.

The advantages of digital printing technology are unrivalled. Compared with traditional printing presses, there are the following advantages:

1, the cycle is short

Digital printing without film, automatic prepress preparation, printing presses directly provide proofing, eliminating the traditional printing plate, without the use of film, simplifying the platemaking process, eliminating the need for plate orientation, ink balance and a series of traditional printing process .

2. The unit cost of digital print is irrelevant to the number of prints. The number of prints is usually 50 to 5,000 copies.

3, the quick and flexible digital printing is the traditional printing can not do

Since the plates or photoreceptor drums in the digital printing machine can generate images in real time, the files will not be lost even if they are modified before printing. An electronic plate or drum allows you to change the image or text of each page while printing.

4, easy to connect with customers digital

Print jobs are made into electronic files, and all files are transmitted via high-speed long-distance communication, including the Internet. In this way, customers and printing services are organically linked. This is a phenomenon that has never been seen before.

Digital printing also has its own flaws

The incomplete maturation of expensive prices and technologies has deterred many printing companies. Although digital printing equipment has become a hot topic in recent years, most of them are still in the experimental and trial phase. Even though digital presses that can be put into production have been on the market for a long time, by the end of 2000, the number of installations in the world has still not exceeded 1,500. However, many experts are optimistic that some of the new digital printing equipment introduced recently will promote the development of digital printing faster.

(to be continued)