The future of digital printing (below)

Another aspect of digital printing is the prepress workflow. The printing plant must be able to receive data from customers and ensure that it is handled correctly. There are many standards, such as PDF/X, PPML/VDX, and JDF. Are these standards really effective?

Frank Romano: There are many standards, which is why customers should not deal with all these standards. I'm a member of the VDX Development Committee. I don't think PPML itself can solve the problem. If you want to print with variable information, you need a database and a template. The two must be well-integrated, and it's still very complicated. We think that it should be as simple as entering a command in a program (such as InDesign or Quark XPress). The database is automatically generated with the PDF template data and the synthesized PPML/VDX file is sent to various types of digital printers.

Second, the workflow should be transparent. For example, if a printing plant receives a PDF file that can be used to drive the Creo CTP system, or it can be used as the basis for engraved gravure cylinders, the final customer is not very clear about these specific processes. They only need to It is sufficient to provide the printer with a PDF file, and how to print is determined by the printer. The same is true for digital printing. However, all of these must be transparent to the customer.

What is the most suitable data format? What do you think about the PDF, PDF/× debate? Do you think that PDF/× can make us move forward?

Frank Roman0: Currently there is no best-suited data format. The most used one is PDF now. There is no new technology that can surpass it and replace it. PDF/X is currently used primarily in the advertising business workflow because all magazines want a fully electronic workflow that is not only printed, distributed, aggregated, and archived but also electronic. If the customer provides a TlFF-formatted ad, once it is zoomed in or out, the image will change and the font on the ad will change. PDF does not. PDf is scalable and flexible. In addition, PDF/X can be used directly in the CTP workflow and will also be used for digital publication of magazines in the future.

Another advantage of the electronic process is that it saves delivery costs. Due to the dramatic increase in postal expenses, publishers and advertising specialists are seeking alternative routes beyond the postal service. PDF/X is adjustable, the page can be zoomed in or out and the content on the page remains unchanged. In addition, PDF/X has been specifically tested, thus ensuring trouble-free production. PDF/X can exist, and the root cause is here. At present, the United States is actually using PDF as a standard for its workflow, and it is still constantly developing.

PPML, VDX, PDF-on-the-fly and XML. Are these formats incomparable?

Frank R0mano: PPML and VDX are actually the same, VDX is PPML inside PDf, and PPMI is XML, and it's actually the same. XML itself is not useful because no one wants to process XMI files; people want to deal with files that support page browsing, so translate XML to PDF or PDF to XML.

Is translation or embedding?

Frank Romano: Both. Whether you are using it for variable information printing, traditional offset printing or gravure printing, or electronic publishing, use PD F: as a standard. It can be said that PDF is the most important tool in publishing today.

Is a printing plant now investing in workflow technology or is it waiting for the next generation of products? Which approach is more reasonable?

Frank Romano: JDF and ClP3/ClP4 use PDF as a way of carrying job data and all printing process information, but only if the printer, cutter and binder can use this data. Only a handful of printers now have equipment that can perform JDF workflows. The printing factory is now also thinking about such a question: how to invest in new equipment in the case of declining orders? Therefore, upgrading equipment may be the most sensible choice, may now lose some jobs, but also for the market to warm up, orders We must pick up reserve forces. By that time, due to stronger production capacity, we will certainly be in a dominant position in the competition.

The thing to do now is to upgrade everything, from intelligence to software to hardware?

Frank Romano: To upgrade everything, not just the press, you may also need to build a high-speed network to handle faster workstations and a better proofing system. Many printers now have a "mixed" system.

What does the "hybrid system" mean?

Frank Roman0: A group of old and new machines can work hard, but the combination is not too tight. The printing plant must create a more coordinated and comprehensive system 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 sluggish, we have no choice but to stay competitive.

What role do you think the Internet will play in the printing industry in the future? Is it just for publishing information, or is it a remote control of the printing process?

Frank Roman0: The Internet is probably the most elusive thing we have ever encountered. On the one hand, it is an efficient technical means to promote communication and communication between printing companies and customers; on the other hand, it is a competitor to the printing industry. In the United States, there has been a large amount of printing business lost and turned to the Internet, and this situation will continue for a long time, so we must seek new ways of survival in the "new environment."