Electronic Prepress System Standardization

I. Introduction:

Each company has its own standardization model, which may be used in the process to apply its own standardized model. PDF is an international industry standard. We think this is a good standardization process and every company There is a file format that supports PDF, so this part is what we want to emphasize, but it is not our intuition. Let others think that this standardized workflow can be applied to all industries. Therefore, the PDF standard workflow is used as This speech discusses internal issues. It must be clarified from the beginning.

Second, electronic prepress system

The previous printing era was completed by hand. Then in the printing plant, the imposition, grouping, out of the net, plate making and then printing on the machine. Now, as long as it is a computerized device before printing, no matter what kind of system management PC or MAC, This is called the system of printing computer digitization, which is called the electronic prepress architecture.

Third, the traditional electronic prepress system includes

(a) Electronic color separation scanning

Including traditional scanners (large, expensive, beautiful, and technology oriented), they are now moving toward electronic platform scanners (quick, cheap, beautiful).

(B) Digital Image Finishing (Photoshop...)

When the image we want is scanned into an electronic file, we usually need to make some changes, such as: back-to-back, dirt-removal, fusion and other image processing, these processes are generally in the PC, MAC or popular page system, etc. Operation on the computer.

(3) Editing graphic integration (QuarkXpress, CorelDraw...)

After the figure file and the text have been individually retouched, the editor of the graphic and text integration will come again. In the early stage of the artist's hard work to finish on the art table, the part of the line must be straight and beautiful. The finished manuscript must be clean, and the layout should not be covered with dirty spots; so when the electronic prepress system PC, Part of the MAC, in the integration of graphics and text, can use a variety of software, such as: CorelDraw, Word, Excel, QuarkXpress, Pagemaker or Freehand application software integration graphics.

(d) file output

After the graphic editors are integrated, they are output in the file printing function of the computer; generally speaking, if they are in the printing factory, we can open the files in the work environment, print them out, save them as a mesh, and then send proofs and proofs. Coming back for printing; if it is an intermediary, a design company, or an ordinary company line number, you must first COPY your own files, and hand them to the plate making, output center, or printing house, and the files may appear. many problems

IV. Problems Derived from Electronic Documents

(A) PC, MAC system update and software compatibility

About ten years ago, when RIP was just starting out, the speed of updating systems from systems OS7.5, 7.6.1, 8.1 to POWER MAC, Blue and White machines, OS8.6, and OS9 was too fast, and there was WIN3.1 like PC. , WIN95 to WIN98, WIN2000 until now, these systems caused our inconvenience, coupled with incompatibility of application software, such as: Pagemarker and blue and white machines sometimes lose the word, I do not know why the crash, which will So that customers can not want to update, the computer bought today does not last long, after six months the entire system will have to be replaced, often make the manager cry no tears do not know whether to continue to invest or give up, these problems have arisen.

(b) Many Chinese and English fonts

In Chinese and English users of MAC or PC, as long as they talk about fonts, they will have quite a headache, such as: screen fonts, Postscript and Truetype can not be output, there will be no problem after the output, Chinese fonts include Arphic, Wah Hong, and Quanzhen. English fonts are full of pitfalls. Usually these files are organized like screen fonts: they are only displayed on the screen, and TrueType can be directly Print, or use it as a frame to do some of the image effects; like Postscript is used in the back-end processing, so to distinguish the type of font, when the file is sent to the customer, it will not be lost. To font files, there is a point that sometimes the font files are not correctly obtained when output. If the fonts are replaced by other fonts, the original intention (word shape) may be misunderstood.

(3) The figure is not attached and the attached sample is not the original figure.

In the printing factory or the output center, because the drawing is not properly copied to the disk during transmission, the printed matter and the content of the sample are different. This is a common problem.

(4) Insufficient bleeding

In the early days, such problems often occurred. For example, the inner page was 210*290 mm in size, and the size of the bleeding was insufficient, resulting in clipping or missing edges when cutting.

(five) wrong size

Usually when the same print is published in different places, the size must be changed. At this time, the larger the size of the print, the more wrong size will be delivered to the printing factory or the output center.

(6) Ignore the black plate direct pressure setting

Some software has support and some software does not. These problems will also cause many problems when the final draft is sent to the printing plant.

(7) Unfavorable output of archive storage format

In the early days, because of the slow speed of RIP, DCS files must be used. When sending output, this must be done. However, some software such as EPS files may not support some software. At this time, they must be transcoded, and customers will complain. In fact, this is impossible. Solve the facts.

(8) Uncertainty of Postscript error when passing through the Internet

When output, whether it is to print or to output the net, Postscript error messages often occur, which is helpless.

(9) When the electronic file and its attached files are too large, it is not easy to carry or Internet transmission

General printed files have very large files and are not conducive to transmission or carrying.

V. Advantages of PDF

(A) Standard format of cross-platform and language family

Regardless of the system or country, the file can be smoothly opened for preview.

(B) Built-in compression module

According to individual needs, do different compression ratios.

(c) Including text, fonts and images

The completed file can also be modified via software after compression.

(d) Allowing the last minute to be modified

Even after the transfer to the printing plant, the printing factory can be modified on the spot using the software.

(e) Easy to view

You can see the original appearance of the file. You can see it in real time if you have any errors.

Sixth, a new generation of electronic prepress system standardization

Different systems, there will be different processes, like now the PDF process to what kind of steps here we provide a new concept of standardization, we must create the future, we must experience the PDF is a kind of what kind of Advantages, can not always think that as long as the internal progress of the company is good, and do not ignore changes in the outside world, and interact with the external environment.

The advantages of a new generation of electronic prepress systems:

(a) PDF as standard file format

(B) Providing Workable Work Tickets

(iii) Automated workflow

(IV) Significantly increase efficiency and effectiveness

(V) The feasibility of providing remote transmission

Seventh, traditional VS new generation system

Previously scanned files were merged through U.S. graphics and then sent to the printing plant or sent to the export center or through the Internet. This requires more work; now the PDF file can be completed. Send directly to the print, or print the file, or use the Internet to transmit the file for publication. By doing so, you do not need to do extra work.