Network printing - a new bright spot in printing

In recent years, the technology of transmitting printed information through web browsers is gradually evolving, but it is difficult to become a holistic concept. And web-to-print solutions can meet the various requirements of customers.

Without network printing, the implementation of this technology will be tedious. Proficient in it technology, and even programmers are likely to participate in the development process in this area. It is time to develop an evaluation system that is fast and has a high return on investment, which is necessary for printers.

Mark parent, president of sugar bush media solutions, said: “Don’t lose this service for printing, because the profit from printing is really too small. Someday, we will lose the typewriter and we no longer need to typeset first. The printing is done step by step. The online printing service can be monthly. In short, don't lose this service."
Roroy Grossman, president and CEO of clifton, pointed out that for larger customers, completing a customized, multi-layered network printing solution is still not a simple process. From the start of the proposal to the customer to create a practical website, for companies that do not have ready-made solutions, it will take at least four months to a year to complete.

Grossman said: "If you do not have this solution, it is very difficult to quickly achieve network printing, and the cost is very large in advance. And you must provide customers with a partner. You can not complete all the processes on your own; in this project You need to spend at least 100,000 dollars."

Expand business scope

Grossman pointed out that a larger U.S. bank may have 6,000 branches that require network access, which will bring about greater printing demand. During the construction period of a solution, it is mostly the people of IT industry. For such a capital and resource investment in continuous growth, customers and printers will inevitably be linked together by the final product, which reduces the possibility of loss of profits.

Ryan Farris, general manager of consolidated graphics, said: “The network printing industry can write encyclopedias for many aspects. Our company can provide customers with management methods, development concepts and effective databases through the media. These media include printing and electronics. Mail, as well as personalized web pages that continue to be used.” The online order system allows customers to select the materials they need, and they can print immediately what they have passed, thereby reducing the time in the market.

Other services, including dam (digital asset management), can provide customers with an online resource center to help them organize and protect files. At the same time, customers can also use the web browser to provide fast access worldwide (if needed).

What about the suitability of such a system? Stability and information function are the most basic and most popular features of this technology.

Network printing solutions can even bring unexpected benefits to third-party solution providers. These suppliers often do not have their own digital presses, offset presses or other equipment. Willie Brennan is the owner of custom print now solutions, a company that builds a common end-application to customize network printing solutions based on customer needs, including inventory, packaging, direct or indirect shipments, market offers, etc. solution.

Brennan said: "The entire user interface is tailored to specific customers, which makes it easy for each customer to use it." He also suggested that people should be able to guarantee the ease of operation.

Parent emphasizes that it is important to ensure that a web-enabled customer interface can include all production processes. He loves all-inclusive systems, including file uploads, pre-preparation, online proofing, signing contracts, automatic calculation of costs, quotations, valuations, documentaries, and variable number libraries. Parent believes that existing solutions can support a wide variety of printing processes.

In the late 1990s, Consolidated Graphics began customer online orders. Its initial attempt at online printing began with the printing company in wichita. Cgxsolutions as an independent entity is derived from that branch. It now has its own office, its own programmers, and developers. Cgxsolutions, headquartered in Houston, has a large number of developers, sophisticated customer service, technical support, and sales teams. It now also serves all cgx subsidiaries and their customers.

Farris said: "We have formed a team to support the products and services our customers need. At the same time, they also need some other projects that can be implemented - stock products, on-demand printing products and other types of market demand. We can The salesperson customizes the sales list, or lets the market department enter some regular customized computers and typewriters used in many offices."

Intricate growth

Farris said: "The improvement of system function requires people to strengthen the control of the channel; now this solution can provide services for the entire company and many branches. With the development of network printing technology, people will put forward higher requirements. ”

Cgxsolutions found in many years of online printing practice that template-driven solutions are the most commonly used form. Although companies can provide on-demand printing services for these uploaded or changed files, templates are more attractive for standardized management of management. Power is the easiest to use.

Farris said: "When you have a more open template, you have to increase the control, which depends on the human eyes. But if you use a (formatted) template, you can avoid the human eye "The effect is that you can use digital technology to control and monitor this process. This is a simpler step."

Farris found that if you use off-the-shelf software solutions to implement network printing, customers need to use specific programs developed by cgx-solutions. Finally, both printers and customers can effectively get the final product.

Some printers think that the asp (application service provider) model also has its own advantages. Parent believes that printers need to measure the pros and cons of general-purpose programmers and features that are not well-established. For example, some off-the-shelf software can only be used on windows pc or only on mac (but not both). Of course, applications can only work with special web browsers.

Parent predicts that in the next five years, most, if not all, factors considered to be "universal" will become the norm in all solutions.

For the future of web printing, grossman believes that the best applications will be developed. He predicted: “This will be a big hot spot. It is not just for customers to print and build websites for them. Think about photography, wedding photo studios, clubs and schools, etc. These are endless. It is necessary for people to know that all media are interconnected and that no one can replace offset printing."

Parent said: “There is still a long way to go before customers understand the value of network printing solutions. We need to shape the future of this area. It is not yet fully accepted. At present, customers are not really optimistic. It, but you must find a way to sell this solution."

Farris believes that the level of investment in digital printing in the personalized market is closely linked to the fate of online printing. He said: "That is the true future of network printing - from customization to personalization. Now, We have already achieved this to a certain extent, but the real high-level personalized printing still needs further development."

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