Digitization and Its Influence on Printing Production Mode (II)

2 Integration of Printing and Copying Workflows

As mentioned above, the result of digitization is that the digital chain is continuously expanding, and the entire printing and copying process is condensed into a black box (see Figure 2). This black box is a highly intelligent digital processing system that incorporates all the functions and operations of the print reproduction process. All intermediate products are digitally stored and circulated. As long as the appropriate digital information source (also called the “original” in the broad sense) is connected to this black box, the corresponding information can be converted into the required visual products such as color prints, color proofs, and color video display. Similarly, if an appropriate output device is connected to this black box, different forms of information reproduction items can be obtained, such as full-page film, plates, proofs, prints, and the like.

It is not difficult to see that information sources are no longer limited to the traditional “original” category, but include images, text, and other forms of information from different sources, and are gradually becoming a huge, continuously multiplying networked information database. From the point of view of information, information sources can still be divided into analog and digital categories. At present, digital information comes mainly from the following aspects: (1) documents processed by word processors (or personal computers); (2) network documents; (3) digital cameras; (4) PhotoCD; (5) advertising/creative Design the system's digital manuscripts; (6) telemetry remote sensing images; (7) other digital or digitizable color images that have been stored on disk, magneto-optical disks, optical disks (including CD-ROMs, and re-writable optical disks).

Similarly, copying information no longer has a single form and can have many different options. In fact, as long as the digital prepress processing system - the digital black box equipped with appropriate output devices, you can get the desired form of the product, such as the configuration of the image imagesetter, you can get the whole page of film in accordance with the printing requirements; configuration Plate typesetting machine can get the printing plate that meets the printing requirements; configuring digital proofing machine can get proofs with the same effect as printed matter; configuring digital printing machine can directly get the printed matter; connecting with the network and can transmit the digital page To a designated location, complete remote proofing or printing (on-demand printing, online printing); configure the dial machine, you can create a CD-ROM; configure other high-density storage media, you can save the digital page for backup ... .... This is also the basic concept of "one source, multiuse" (information).

3 "Digital Information Processing + High-density Storage + Network Transmission" - Modern Printing Production Mode

The traditional printing production model can be simply summarized as an analog or analog and digital hybrid production model based on "physical carrier conversion+storage+transportation". This can be achieved using an extreme analogue production model of photolithographic production technology. Explanation. Photolithography is an out-of-the-box analog production method. Due to the special nature of the printing and copying process and the limitations of the technology at the time, there are bound to be many intermediate products such as color separation films, photolithography films, copy films, printing plates, and proof sheets. Raw materials (various films, papers, inks, and other ancillary materials) need to be allocated by way of warehousing and transportation, and the distribution and sales of final products are even more so. Therefore, the simulated production process is actually a process of mutual conversion of various physical carriers, storage and transportation (see Figure 3a).

With the extension of the digital chain, printing production is gradually integrated into the prepress digital processing system. The intermediate products are more likely to exist, communicate and circulate in a digital manner. The physical form is decreasing, and it may even disappear completely. Digital printing is an all-digital, digital printing replication technology. In the entire production process, various kinds of films and printing plates no longer exist. When such digital printing technology and network technology are combined to form an on-demand printing system, the warehousing and transportation necessary for the traditional printing production process will also be reduced to a minimum or even unnecessary. This is because the digital network connects all elements related to printing production, such as authors, publishers, advertisers, creative design/art design centers, prepress processing centers, printing plants, sales outlets, and customers, into a complete system. The digital pages needed to produce the final prints/publications have existed and circulated on the network in a digital mode, and the production and business operations necessary to generate these digital pages are also done via the web. The final print production will be distributed to the customer's location and will be tailored to the customer's specific needs when the customer needs it. In this way, there is no need to focus on the printing process, there is no physical intermediate product or the final product in the form of physical storage and transportation problems. In other words, in the digital production model, digital high-density storage and network transmission replaces storage and transportation in the traditional simulation or analog and digital hybrid production mode. Before the customer meets, “printing/publication” completely The digital mode (digital page) exists and circulates (see Figure 3b). Therefore, it can be said that the production and operation of the modern printing industry is based on "digital information processing + high-density storage + network transmission," and it has overcome the limitations of time and area encountered in the traditional printing production and sales process. Worldwide provide on-demand or personalized services.

4 The window effect of modern printing technology

From the above discussion, it can be seen that the integration of digital prepress processing, manuscripts, and the diversification of output methods are typical features of modern printing technology, and can also be regarded as a measure of the degree of printing modernization. In fact, the various operations, processing, and processing necessary for traditional printing and copying are ultimately attributed to an integrated digital prepress processing system, namely the digital black box shown in FIG. Both ends of the black box are connected to a digital information source (original) and an output system, respectively, and can output different types of products according to specific needs.

In fact, the digital information source is a global digital information network that is gradually being formed, and the black box is a conversion system that is responsible for extracting the required digital information from the digital information source and converting it into a desired form, such as Full-page film, plates, proofs, prints, etc. From the perspective of information dissemination, printing technology will eventually evolve into a (conversion/export) window that connects digital information networks and human society. It can convert digital information in information sources with high speed, high quality, and high efficiency. Adults can identify/accept visual information (see Figure 4).

5 Concluding remarks

Digitization not only changes the printing production model, but also has a huge impact on the way the entire industry operates and opens up new markets. From the production point of view, "digital information processing + high-density storage + network transmission" is a typical modern printing production model, it can also be said that the modernization of printing production is a sign. The result of digitization is to merge all the printing and copying operations into a whole, which greatly reduces intermediate links and consumables. In addition, the integration of this integrated digital system with the information and communication network will provide unprecedentedly rich information resources and convenient means of transmission for printing production, enabling printing production to gradually free itself from the constraints of time and geographical area, and to enable printing and publishing. On-demand/personalized services are possible.

Digitalization and network development have made the windowing function of modern printing technology increasingly obvious. Modern printing technology has become an important window for connecting global information networks and modern civilized information society. Through this window, people can convert all the text and images and all other information that can be converted into text and images in the information network, and convert it into high-speed, high-quality, low-cost information-based visual information.

The modern printing industry is actually an important part of the modern information industry. It has become an information industry with images and texts as the main objects. Its task is to convert the graphic information in the digital information network into high-speed, high-quality, low-cost data that people need to use paper as the carrier's visual information.

Author/Pu Jialing Source: Journal of Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication